Wesley Art Gallery Honors U.S. Army Specialist Abigail Jenkins

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Wesley Community will honor the memory of U.S. Army Specialist Abigail Jenkins in partnership with her mother during an art exhibit throughout September at the Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga Springs. 

The exhibit, which is curated by Abigail Jenks’ mother and Wesley Health Care Center licensed practical nurse (LPN), Mary Jenks, will feature more than 70 pieces of artwork showcasing the fallen service member’s passion for drawing. Due to current health and safety precautions, the art exhibit is available to Wesley Health Care Center residents only and is not open to the general public. A virtual exhibit is available at thewesleycommunity.org. 

Abigail Jenks was a paratrooper with the U.S. Army who was killed during a training exercise on April 19 while stationed in Front Bragg, NC. The 20-year-old was a 2018 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School and a resident of Saratoga County prior to joining the military. 

Created by Mary Jenks as an opportunity to showcase another side of Abigail’s life, the exhibit features numerous themes and subjects, including a variety of animals and mythical creatures, as well as several Spa City favorites such as horses and ballerinas. Jenks hopes that the artwork will spark memories for Wesley’s senior residents and inspire conversations about their lives during the presentations she will guide throughout the month. 

“The presentation for the residents is hearing about a veteran’s art from a mother’s heart,” said Jenks. “It is a form of healing from the young to the old, as I explain the life of Abigail and highlight some of her most beloved pieces.”