Holly Jackson: The Fabric of Time
Holly Jackson is a mixed media textile artist who combines antique hand stitching techniques with modern semi-industrial materials. Often working in relief and incorporating textile sculpture into her work, Jackson focuses on exploring her interests in climate change and history.
How did your creative journey begin?
I’m a self-taught mixed media textile artist who came to it by accident. I had terrible insomnia in my late 20’s and a doctor told me to try either coloring books or embroidery. Neither helped with my sleeping, but I was hooked after my first basic embroidery sampler. It didn’t take me long to realize that I could combine it with my interests in climate change and history, as well as a fascination with complex puzzles and eventually 3d textile sculpture.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I’m interested in people and places that are lost to the past, either through lack of original historical interest and documentation or through global events like climate change. My pieces shine a light on real people, cultural changes, and issues that echo into our present lives. I’m consistently inspired by history books and news articles that I find, which often form the base of my concepts for each piece of art. My current artistic focus is on the the work of early anonymous female Mardi Gras designers and documenting cultures and places that are being effected by climate change. I spent a large portion of my adult life in New Orleans and have found myself drawn into exploring the similar cultural and climate based shifts that Louisiana and the Chesapeake Bay are currently experiencing.
How has your work evolved over the last few years?
I’ve always worked in miniature, but I’ve gradually transitioned to building larger pieces overall while retaining my favorite sense of scale. I’m now able to produce pieces up to 30 inches, which is a major challenge as an artist who works and thinks small. My sculptural mixed media textile scenes incorporate found objects, antique fabrics, cutting edge hot textile techniques, silk painting and a range of antique 3-dimensional hand sewing techniques. Each piece is made entirely by hand as part of a slow studio process that allows for constant editing and inspiration. I never draw a pattern on the fabric at any point: each piece evolves naturally as the various puzzle pieces are made or collected. I’ve also discovered my love of vintage and antique materials, as well as upcycling and eco-dyeing/printing. Part of this has evolved as I’ve worked on environmentally themed shows, but part of this has been an evolution in my own personal life as well. I still use modern materials when needed like Tyvek and Lutradur, but I’ve also worked hard to find better and more interesting alternatives to most standard modern textile supplies.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you, and how has your art practice grown or changed?
I’m lucky enough to have my studio be in my house, although that does mean it’s in a windowless attic! I always work on several pieces at a time, so I frequently have multiple pieces of stretched fabric out so I can swap out when I get stuck on a piece or need a different sort of supply. I think of it like an art lab rather than a traditional studio. I always try to tell myself that I have permission to play when I work rather than have to do something in a prescribed way. As I’ve done larger shows, art fairs, and gallery displays I’ve learned to trust my inner voice more rather than less. Several series that I developed out of pure personal interest (like the Textile Mardi Gras Float series) have been the pieces that have gotten the most media attention and sold the most reliably. I think knowing what to say no to as an artist is one of the hardest and most valuable skills to develop, but maybe the most important.
Which experiences have impacted your work as an artist?
Talking to other artists and being inspired by their viewpoints is my favorite way of learning more about art. I joined the No Rules Textile Society early on and felt like having the constant feedback of other talented artists kicked my development into overdrive. Living in areas of the US that are beautiful but also essentially sinking has impacted how I think about both my art and my own life dramatically. Climate change can have an eerie beauty about it but also confronts society with a whole new host of philosophical issues. How do we pick climate winners and losers? What communities or landscapes will we sacrifice to preserve others? What are the unintended consequences of human intervention? I think about these issues a lot. I hope my art makes others consider them more closely as well.
How has social media impacted your work?
Social media has been wonderful for me from a community standpoint. When you work in an unusual niche and are self-taught it can be hard to find a local artist community. Social media has allowed me to forge connections with like-minded artists to learn from and form friendships with. I’ve grown my following over the past few years but also met some of my best friends who I would never have known otherwise.
How do you choose your materials for each piece?
My materials come from a combination of serendipitous donations from friends and locals who know my art and from some consistent online places. I often use materials that other people give me, from vintage illustrated playing cards to used oil painting clothes that I build botanical pieces on. Since my process is so slow, I often find that the right finishing touch comes along over the course of the piece. When I do buy more traditional textile supplies, I’m more likely to buy vintage or antique items from places like Tinsel Trading these days. They’re more unusual and artistic, but also better from an environmental stand point. I like to choose materials that add to the narrative of each piece rather than just fill in space. If it’s from the same time period my inspiration comes from or has an interesting history of it’s own that’s even better.
Website: www.flossinginthemoonlight.com
Instagram: @flossinginthemoonlight