Jenne Giles

Artist Statement:

I turned to wool in 2005.  By exploring wool’s similarity to other fine art mediums like paint, wool allows me to challenge the viewer's perceptions and overcome my preconceptions.

I make each piece by applying wool as painterly strokes of color to create a thick bed of fiber.  I then mesh the fibers together by hand-working them in a process similar to sculpting with clay.  The process of felt-making is prone to many moments of distortion that lead to unintended results.  The finished felt sets the stage for a journey in painting.

I paint the final layer with mixed media that is absorbed into the felted ground.  In the slow process of building the piece, I add characters to discover a social structure.  As it grows, the interconnected shapes and animated color-play reveal an unfolding drama.  My intention with this work is to appeal to the viewer's organic sense of humanity.

Jenne Giles is a San Francisco-based artist whose work ranges from traditional fine arts and crafts to innovative performance and installation art. She received her B.A. Degree in Art and Art History from Rice University in 1997. After working professionally in the arts and trades she began her own business, Harlequin Feltworks, in 2007.