Woodland Nymph specimen
This month, Jasper is delighted to be hosting Jennifer Hill, aka Jenny Mae Creations, for our October Tiny Gallery show. Hill is featuring a delightful array of little creatures: 13 needle felted, two plush, and one voodoo.
Hill grew up in Chapin on Lake Murray, and her aunt, an artist and a painter, introduced her to the Brian Froud Faeries book at a young age, which she claims left an impression that still affects her work today.
Before she found her way to dollmaking, Hill’s first love was theatre, which she started doing in middle school. “I can't really explain why I chose to do it; it was just something I thought I would enjoy,” Hill recalls, “And I didn't just enjoy it. I fell in love with it.”
Now, years later, Hill is a Company Member at Trustus Theatre, which she considers her home, and the people there, family. Since then, she also started performing on the street as a living statue.
“It's a whole other way of performing that I fell in love with,” she says on street performing, “There's nothing like sharing a theatrical moment on the street with a curious stranger — a performance that only requires me and whoever happens to walk by.”
This aspect of performance is similar to what Hill chases in her physical creations as well. “The relationship I draw between [performance and art] is that it's me expressing myself and putting it out to others and connecting with them,” she states, “Which is something I always feel the desire to do.”
voodoo dolly
It was in her early twenties that Hill made the venture that resulted in this connection. Between her performance projects, she wanted another creative outlet and found her way to crafting collages and voodoo dolls with found objects.
“I started with collage because I love the practice of taking things a part and creating something new out of it”, she shares, further saying, “I've always been weirdly obsessed by the idea of voodoo dolls ever since I saw an episode of Scooby-Doo when I was a kid that featured one.”
This is just one example of themes from Hill’s childhood popping up in her work. Because of a love of dolls from childhood, she was led to a DIY sock monkey kit at Christmas one year. From there, her love for fiber art sparked, leading to a plethora of creations representing a reflection of Hill’s inner self.
“When I'm making things, I'm often processing something that's going on inside me. I think that's why creating is so essential to me,” she ruminates, “And I really like the juxtaposition of something being cute but also a little unsettling and raw. There's often a dose of humor in my work.”
two-headed woodland nymph
When it comes to the art of making, Hill is completely self-taught. One day during the process of self-teaching and experimentation, she decided to walk into an art gallery with a box of dolls and see if they were interested – they were.
“My big break came when the art director for the film Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium emailed me that he saw my plush creations online and wanted to use them in some of their background shots,” she recalls, “I was STUNNED.”
Since then, Hill is always searching for new mediums and modes of inspiration, two years ago, she came across needle felting. For those who are unfamiliar with the process, Hill shares that you start with loose wool, mold it into a loose shape, and then stab it repeatedly with a barbed needle. As you stab more and more, the wool becomes more tangled and then firmer until you end up with a finished object.
“I really love the sculptural aspect of it. The freedom to start with a pile of wool and mold it into whatever I want,” she shares, “I love that it's fiber, but I can sculpt with it using a needle in a way I can't with regular fabric and sewing. I feel like I have more control in a way.”
Whether with needle felting, plushes, or voodoo dolls, Hill keeps walking her “fine line” between cute and creepy, making wounded creatures that don't actually exist and often come from her childhood.
Afraid
Hill hopes that in showing these personal representations of her own hopes and fears, others might find a sense of reflection and thus comfort in her work.
“I hope that the wounded misfit inside them feels seen. That their inner child may be delighted or even soothed,” she pauses, “We're all strange and hurting in some way, and there's a human connection in that, and if nothing else, they may spend a few minutes with their childhood self that's still in there wanting to be seen.”
Hill has been opening this path to people for years, having been part of several art shows, some local, some in other parts of the country, and one in Italy. “The wonderful people at The Columbia Museum of Art gave me my first one night only solo show when Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium came out,” she remembers.
As uncertain as some aspects of living may be right now, Hill knows creating is her one constant.
“Since COVID, live theater, acting with others, and street performing has pretty much been put on hold,” she admits, “So, I feel very lucky to still have this other way of expressing myself creatively because it is essential in my life, and I plan to just keep creating anyway I can. It's what I need to do to be happy.”
mushroom specimen
You can follow Hill on her Instagram @jennymaecreations or her Facebook page @Jenny Mae Creations.
Hill’s show will be up until the end of October, so be sure to check out her strange and wonderful creations on the Jasper website—perfect for Halloween and for anytime you want a fun little version of a part of you sitting on your shelf.
Street performer Jenny Mae - photo by Crush Rush