The key themes in Ellen Jewett's art work are natural history, surrealism and sculpture. Because of these key themes I thought she would be a great artist to look into regarding my practical work for Context of Practice 3. The first piece of her work that really caught my eye was the petal deer which I just found so beautiful and creative.
My imagined animal for my own practical work will be incorporating elements of nature such as flowers and leaves growing out of the animal such as from wings or eyelashes or something like that. I want to incorporate the beauty of nature into it as I think it needs to really encompass the natural beauty of the rest of the world (unrelated to Homo sapiens) and by doing this it will then give me a lot of scope to show how Homo sapiens have 'ruined' the creature, by stealing the beautiful parts of it such as colourful feathers and flowers. Homo sapiens cannot just appreciate its beauty and respect the animal as animal, they have to relate it to themselves and if possible have that animals beauty to increase their own beauty and attraction. This ties into the subjects confronted in my written essay regarding survival of the fittest. For Ellen Jewett, like myself, natural forms are a continual source of fascination and aesthetic pleasure, which I think is only natural for humans… despite the fact that we feel the need to control these elements of nature and dominate over them.
Her statement:
"Plants and animals have always been the surface on which humans have etched the foundations of culture, sustenance and identity. At first glance my work explores the more visceral experience of 'wildness' as remarkably alien and indifferent. Upon closer inspection of each 'creature' the viewer may discover a frieze on which themes as familiar as domestication and as abrasive as domination fall into sharp relief. These qualities are not only present in the final work but are fleshed out in the process of building."
How is the work made?
"Each sculpture is constructed using an additive technique, layered from inside out by an accumulation of innumerable tiny components. Many of these components are microcosmic representations of plants, animals and objects. Some are beautiful, some are grotesque and, some are fantastical. The singularity of each sculpture is the sum total of its small narrative structures.
Over time I find my sculptures are evolving to be of greater emotional presence by using less physical substance: I subtract more and more to increase the negative space. The element of weight, which has always seemed so fundamentally tied to the medium of sculpture, is stripped away and the laws of gravity are no longer in full effect. In reading the stories contained in each piece we are forced to acknowledge their emotional gravity cloaked as it is in the light, the feminine, the fragile, and the unknowable."
I think flight/weightlessness should definitely be an element in my own made up animal as this is one thing humans are unable to do without technology. Our biology fails to allow us the skill of flight. If you ask people what super power they would choose if they could, it will often be flight. It is an instinctual want of humans as it gives power to birds, they can fly at us and circle us, fly away from us, and we cannot catch them, obviously without tools such as guns etc. However there is actually not many big birds that really threaten us as a species, this is why dragons hold such a power in myth and legend and still are used to frighten (as a villain) in modern day films and literature.
I also think that perhaps I could incorporate in the story of human domination over this imagined animal, symbolising Homo sapiens dominance over all other species of the animal kingdom and nature in general, visually on the body. I was already thinking of ways to incorporate wall paintings into the work as historically they have recorded human and animal relationships, although always from the human view point, to teach, warn or tell stories about the animals in regards to humans. Either as food, as threat, as transport, as garments, as pets or as a beautiful accessory to the scenery. I think it would be really useful, instead of producing separate works, an animal sculpture and then a piece of wall art, it would be handy if as part of the animals genetics, as our genetics tells the story of our ancestors, theirs literally tells the story of their ancestors and the human-animal relationship by etching it /painting it onto their skin cells, or bones such as horns, antlers or teeth. Also want it to look strong in its full gear, aka colourful feathers, shimmering skin, fur, antlers etc. Then I want to show it after humans have mutilated it, plucked, hairless, antlers ripped off, scratch marks, burns, just flesh, flesh is eaten by humans though, so then just bones, but the bones are also used, the bones will still be engraved with the story, perhaps by a human child afterwards? perhaps occurs through the genes of the animal?
Back to the process:
"Counter intuitively, while there is an appearance of complexity in design, there is a simplicity in execution. Each detail, down to the finest filigree, is free-modeled by hand. Within each piece, precision is balanced by chaos. The overarching aesthetic knocks on the door of realism, yet the hand of the artist is never intentionally erased; brush strokes and fingerprints abound. Even the narratives themselves harbour a degree of anarchy as they are rarely formally structured. Rather, I seek to achieve flow states while working to create a fluid progression of unconscious imagery. That imagery, as manifest in tiny ephemeral shapes and beings, forms relationships and dialogues organically. In the spirit of surrealism, this psychological approach to artistic expression creates a rich network of personal archetypes and motifs that appear to occupy their own otherworldly space. Within this ethereal menagerie, anthropology meets psychoanalysis as themes of natural beauty, curiosity, colonialism, domestication, death, growth, visibility and wildness are explored."
http://www.ellenjewettsculpture.com/portfolio-petal-deer
From her ABOUT page:
Studio Practice
While I seek to free my mind to the imaginative process, I am always simultaneously striving to refine my working environment. I abstain from all materials; clay, paints, glazes, finishes and mediums, that have known toxic properties. This, unavoidably, excludes most of what is commonly commercially available, and has sent me on a journey of unique material combination and invention. This exploration is a large part of the unconventional look and feel of my work. Where possible I source the natural, the local, the low impact and, always, the authentic.
Background
Ellen was born in Markham Ontario and raised among newts and snails. She took to shaping three dimensional forms naturally at a young age. In 2007 Ellen completed her post secondary honours degree in Anthropology and Fine Art at McMaster University. While finishing her undergraduate degrees Ellen worked in medical illustration, exotic animal care and was teaching a childrens class on stop motion animation. By the time she presented her thesis, Ellen's academic and artistic interests in the biological where intrinsically interwoven.
Considered by those who know her as a natural entrepreneur, Ellen set out on her own path as a career artist while still in high school, spending long summer weekends travelling to exhibitions. Ever the curious soul, while working as an artist Ellen has continued to study art and science respectively, most recently, through Haliburton School of the Arts and University of Guelph. She has also accumulated certifications in other areas of personal intrigue, including applied animal behavior modification and crisis counseling. According to Ellen, it all informs her art; enriching the content of the unconscious narrative flow.
Today Ellen's work is achieving a vibrant internet presence making notable appearances on popular websites including Colossal, Reddit, Bored Panda, Ecology Global Network, American Crafters and many others. Her sculptures are being featured in public and private collections worldwide. Ellen is enthusiastically expanding her studio practice, forever experimenting and meeting the demand of her time and art. In her spare seconds Ellen enjoys hiking with her friends and dogs, kayaking, climbing, hunting wild plants and mushrooms, organic gardening, 'upcycling' salvaged items, drinking coffee and feeding tiny birds. As her practice gains more international audience she looks forward to the opportunity to travel as much as her work does.
