Trailblazers

Amy Longenecker-Brown, painter

Originally from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Longenecker-Brown now lives in Borough Park, where she wanders a path that she says takes her through “authentic Brooklyn.”

Photograph: Amy Longenecker-Brown

“I start out on 13th Avenue near Bagel Barn (1284 65th St between 12th and 13th Aves, 718-232-5363). Then I walk downtown on 13th Avenue toward the ongoing yard sale between 62nd and 63rd. I love old trinkets, anything with character or a cool story. Once I found tiny mugs that said pennsylvania dutch land. I don’t know where they find all their junk.

“At 60th Street, I turn right and walk to New Utrecht Avenue, toward the Savarese Italian Pastry Shop (5922 New Utrecht Ave at 59th St, 718-438-7770). The gelato has painterly hues that look like saturated color mixed with titanium white.

“I keep going on New Utrecht until it meets up with 13th Avenue again, near 56th Street. This stretch is deep in the center of the Jewish neighborhood and, even though the Hasidic Jews and the Amish Mennonites are very different, it reminds me of where I came from. There are a lot of things about the way they look and how they stay true to the fundamentals of their religion that are similar.

“I like the absurd, and there’s this one photo shop where they do passport pictures on 13th Avenue between 48th and 49th Streets; it has all these random photos. In one portrait, there is a lady with big hair, eating a pastry. It’s so funny, and it’s an ad for their portrait studio. How strange is that?”

"I like the absurd, and there’s this one photo shop…"