Jan Graham: Local Artist
BIO:
My degree with art major from University of Houston allowed me to teach in public and private schools plus tutorials for a total of 23 years. Eleven of those years were in art. Now I enjoy retirement as I create woven art. Other pleasures are swimming and creative writing.
My Woven Art media was inspired by lovely products that young, private students were making under my guidance with simplistic designs and medium low materials. It occurred to me that I could kick it up many notches and use sophisticated materials for fine art.
I love the inspirations that come after praying for new ideas. There is no end to the creativity that flows in mixed media with rich materials. Some pieces will have printing techniques and painting along various things that are pulled through the background. Such things are copper strips, satin cording, suede lacing, beautiful ribbons, and fabrics. These offer interesting compositions heavily textured to draw people close for inspection, only to discover they are protected with glass.
Featured pieces:
FIESTA -My first thoughts upon finding Mexican bark paper with pierced holes were, “That will be a challenge! I want to conquer this!” I relished the tedious process, altering many of the openings for straighter paths, enabling ribbons, satin cords, copper strips, and tiny swirls of wire to travel through the bark. A summer field school in Mexico near Cuernavaca during college days inspired the use of Mexico’s colors, use of metals, and festive flair, consequently the name Fiesta.
LASHES - I surprised myself by using eyelash yarn in a composition. The playful piece is named after a beautiful newborn, female giraffe that I saw in the nursery of the Colorado Springs Zoo at a private showing. Hours after birth she was standing in a regale pose. I was captured by her elegance and wonderful eyes with long, full lashes.
TRIBUTE -Near completion of this composition I felt the top needed something to punctuate things. I considered miniscule tassels but felt they would cheapen fine art. While reading the Bible I found that tassels represent the commandments of God. Therefore I searched to discover metallic embroidery thread and suffered through the process of working with wire-like strands and sharp ends on such a small scale. Tassels allowed the name Tribute, as though dedicated to one who would seek to live a life pleasing to God.
JUNGLE RUN -Can you imagine a snake in the background? Various sizes of animals are rushing through the jungle with short or long leaps. Three layers of ribbons pulled through one path represent brown soil, blue water, and vegetation, elements required for jungle life as creatures leap for joy or run in fear of a strike from the snake in this fantasy.
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