Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Hill.
Hi Jennifer, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been a creative person all my life, primarily as a writer and storyteller. Doing this sort of work exercised a certain part of my brain filled with journeys, characters, and insights. But in April 2021, I experienced sudden onset tinnitus– a persistent, high-pitched ringing in my ears and inside my head. I went to many Western and holistic doctors to find out the cause and, hopefully, treatment for what was quickly becoming a paralyzing condition that produced levels of anxiety I had never experienced before. In addition to maddening sounds in my head that persisted night and day, I also suffered partial hearing loss. A meditator for decades, I couldn’t find solace in the silence anymore. But one day, my artist niece asked if I would take her to Austin Creative Reuse– a magical non-profit store that offers recycled arts, crafts, fabrics, and more. I was struck by how people were using discarded materials to create beautiful projects. I found myself gravitating toward circle forms and yarns. I don’t knit or crochet. These are fiber arts I love, but I simply don’t have a delicate or precise hand. But the colors and textures of the gorgeous yarns caught my attention. I think colors are healing and work with parts of our minds and hearts that require nourishment and direction. That night, I ran my hands over the materials I chose– a large hay wreath form and some yarns and ribbons. I thought about my mother and father, who had passed away. Mom was a painter and photographer, and my father was a poet, potter, and painter. They pursued these arts outside of their professional careers. As a mom, I began to understand how important it was to claim my own artistic life, just as my parents had– especially amidst my new physical challenges. I began wrapping wreaths in yarn in unusual ways to create something I call “Magicas.” As a Latina, I drew inspiration from other fiber arts traditions, including God’s Eyes and other colorful weaving practices. I also drew on my experiences as a Buddhist student– both in practice and form– and liked the mandala-like patterns that emerged in some of my pieces. Much of my art is also influenced by neuroscience and nature. In 2022 I began to create yarn sculptures using overlapping circles reminiscent of the Vesica Piscis shape, which has many symbolic meanings. Fiber arts allows me to access a part of my nervous system that not only helps me cope with the persistent ringing I hear, but brings me joy and energy. I get to use my hands, the power of colors, interesting texture combinations, and soulful attention to form and repetition. Being a fiber artist is a sensory and healing experience I deeply love to share.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I feel fiber arts has been sort of an opposite artistic experience to my primary form of expression– writing. With writing, you’re exercising your psyche, memories, and experiences to draw characters and create scenarios that flow and resonate with readers. With fiber arts, I don’t think. I make choices. And I tend to make those choices intuitively and quickly. I’ve scrapped several projects because they weren’t capturing a mood or a visual or physical presence with the right energy. I like that I can’t explain what these pieces mean. But I can tell you how they make me feel and what they draw me to consider in meditation. Fiber and textile arts are the first artistic mediums that feel informed by entities bigger than myself. Are they channeled? I have no idea. But they feel mystical– both futuristic and ancient. I’m still trying to get better at following my instincts. But one hiccup that occurs occasionally is sourcing. I am committed to using recycled and reused materials, so I always hope interesting materials are available to me when I need them.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I sell my work online, in artist markets, by commission, and through word-of-mouth. Many of my pieces will be on display at Monkey Nest Coffee in Austin throughout December. But fiber and textile arts are just one of my creative outlets. I earned a BFA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College and will begin a Master of Arts in Writing program at Johns Hopkins University in Jan. 2023.
My work as an artist has also fueled my writing. My recent poetry and short stories have been published in the Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Black Fox Literary Magazine, Bridge Eight Literary Magazine, Cathexis Northwest Press, The Closed Eye Open Literary Journal, Coastal Shelf Literary Journal, The Dillydoun Review, Funicular Magazine, San Antonio Review, and Wild Roof Journal. I’ve been a featured storyteller and poet for organizations like Hearsay Poetry, Testify, The Living Room, and The Story Department. I’ve worked as a reporter in Boston, a screenplay analyst in Los Angeles, and a writer and editor in Austin. Currently, I’m a Senior Content Developer for a Berlin-based tech company.
Does this sound unexpected for a woman in her 50s? I hope not. It’s never too late to find and live your true self.
You can find my textile and fiber art at https://www.instagram.com/jenniferhilltextilearts/.
You can find my literary work at www.jenniferhr.wordpress.com, Instagram (@ideamakerupper), and Facebook (@jbhillwriter).
How do you define success?
It took me a long time to determine my definition of success. It’s a standard that has evolved over a lifetime. Today, success means having the freedom, confidence, support, and means to continue to do creative work. And sometimes you have all of those pillars or none. Success is the ability to do good work and share it with people. That process has yielded incredible connections and interactions. Whether it’s a child knowing instantly that one of my pieces was made just for her or hearing from a reader that a poem deeply touched them– that feedback is priceless.
Pricing:
- $20-$800
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Jennifer Hill
