Jess Self is a contemporary artist from Black Mountain, NC who works primarily with wool as her sculptural medium. She received her B.F.A from Warren Wilson College and is currently working on her M.F.A at Georgia State University. Along with making exhibition work she loves running her craft fair business, Heart Felt Designs, attending residencies and teaching.
Statement
The majority of my work is created using the process of needle felting, which is a process in which I roll up wool, and then by stabbing it with a barbed needle, I force the fibers to lock together. The denser the wool gets with each poke, the more detail is achieved. I can add and subtract freely, as well as bend and mold with a felting needle. Using wool allows me to create a strong, soft structure while providing a warm and neutral surface to which a viewer can project a narrative or emotional response. I also create figures using body casting, braising and with other textile processes
My creating process is intuitive. Observing humanity and reflecting on my own life influences me; the subject and voice comes later. My work has been a way for me to process personal growth, trauma, and self-image. The majority of the figures and forms have proportions based on my measurements and function as self-portraits.
My work explores how women deal with, process, and grow from trauma. I am interested in how experiences and mental states are talked about in relation to our skin. When struggling, we can camouflage ourselves to appear normal, in response to the trauma, we grow a thick skin like armor, when healing, we shed skin full of pain, resentment, and fear, leaving us with a clean slate. My work is easy to connect with. I put a spotlight on underlying issued and strive to put a voice to topics that are isolating, and many are too embarrassed to talk about, like abuse and psychological discomfort. If I can make one viewer feel understood and heard, then maybe it could help them on their journey to closure.
