I have come to call myself an artist in most recent times – not because I feel I have accomplished such a thing, but because I have become most aware if my own creative compulsion. I continually explore a range of materials and ideas whilst travelling a life long journey of making.
I work primarily with fibres and textiles; stitching and crochet for these have been a part of my life since birth, observing my mother who passed her skills on to me through my childhood as her mother and grandmother had done before her. In working with these materials and techniques I feel a connectedness to my family, the one I have left to grow my own family overseas.
My inspiration is drawn from the immediate world around me, my home, my husband and our two young children; our playtime, garden and nature further afield.
Motherhood has been an enormous influence on my journey as an artist thus far. When I had my first child I was confronted by the delicacy of life and the frailty of my own spirit. When I had my second child I was forced to confront these things even further as I entered into a spiral of emotion, contrasting light and dark. My prayer became to ‘establish the work of my hands'; not merely creating, but raising my family, forgiveness, understanding and using my abilities to God’s glory.
As I travel onward I feel compelled to explore tonality, form and the use of natural dyes; wet felting, themes of life and death and forgiveness. I feel particularly drawn to covering and wrapping objects with fibre and cloth, softening sharp and hard edges, protecting and bringing out the innermost beauty in something that has been discarded, lost or unwanted.
I look forward with joy to the journey ahead!
Jeana Marie Blackert
2009
