Interview with a doll Part 2

Here’s a continuation of the conversation I had with Jen:

What did the ‘past Jen’ create? Why the departure? Where are you?

As I mentioned, I dabbled in lots of different things. I was obsessed with painting and printmaking for a long time and for an even longer time I did almost nothing. I love working with textiles, the feel of the fabrics, the way you can manipulate them, the history of women and needlework. I feel like I am carrying on a tradition and yet changing it in my own way. Although I am mainly doing commissioned work right now, I am edging into more conceptual work, especially with the figure I am making and documenting as part of your blog. It’s a matter of time and balance. I only have so much studio time for experimenting and playing

You mentioned you were in flux with your artistic identity…seeing yourself as a textile artist vs a ‘crafter’ tell us more…

I was selling at local craft fairs and I hated it. Although I often got good responses and people bought dolls, I didn’t feel that people really understood the work. Most of them saw the dolls as slightly expensive toys. I found myself identifying with this, trying to make more affordable pieces that were baby friendly. I wasn’t happy with this direction. I felt like I was selling out for the purpose of selling to a general audience. And then I realized, I don’t make them to sell to mass markets. I am not trying to please a huge audience. I’m not trying to please anyone really, except myself. I consider the work I do to be soul food, and when I’m working for other reasons, it feels like drudgery.

People have suggested I move into a more aggressive kind of business and perhaps consider having them manufactured like the official ‘ugly doll.’ But that just isn’t what this is about, it’s actually the complete opposite of what I do.

Some of your work has a strong sense of playfulness…is that important?
Yes, it is important because for me, because the whole thing is about process. While I work, I don’t follow or make patterns, I cut and sew and fix and cut and sew. I call it free style sewing. And it is playing, I am playing with the materials and the relationships of texture and colour and fabric and how they all come together into a creature or doll that seems to have a life and personality of it’s own.

I’m not surprised playfulness would come through in the finished pieces. I also love the dolls and creatures that are so creepy, or bizarre that they make me laugh. I guess I have a bit of a warped sense of humour and I hope that comes through in my work.