Silent Companions, Collage
When was this piece created? 2022
What is the story behind this piece? This is one of several new works I created for an exhibit at the Jamaica Plain Branch Library. The turtle in this piece was planned as the primary focus, which he appears to be, but close to completing the collage, the caterpillar appeared, and he and the turtle made a connection. This is how it usually goes. I have a plan for the work, but when you are dealing with living beings (even if they are made of paper), you must be open to anything.
What inspired this piece? The exhibit this piece was created for is titled In Close Proximity 2.0. We often overlook the diverse nature that exists right in our own neighborhood. With this piece, I wanted to offer the viewer an opportunity to see the obvious (a turtle that takes up a lot of space in the image) as well as the subtle, quiet presence of other creatures (which they will notice if they linger and look closely).
Is there an outside element that influenced this piece (i.e. another artist, nature, a novel, a theory, etc)? Nature always influences my work. Aside from the creatures, the way we interact with nature influenced this piece. We notice some things, but it takes time and patience to see the whole picture and discover the diversity and abundance that is close by.
Is this part of a series; if so what is the series? This is part of an exhibit, In Close Proximity 2.0. All the work in this series depicts flora and fauna and invites the viewer to see the obvious and discover the hidden.
Explain/Tell us anything else you would like us to know about this specific work: I stepped out of my usual comfort zone with this piece when I created the background using orange and pink hues. I can be quite literal in my work, which is not a bad thing, but it is most important to follow one’s instinct (muse), and I fell in love with the oranges and pinks, they energized me and, I think, the colors bring warm happiness to the work.
What is one of your artistic goals? A constant goal for me is to raise my own bar and “stretch”. Raise the bar by further honing my skills and adding new skills, and “stretching” by doing something new, be it collaging a new subject, working much larger, or doing something that I find incredibly challenging.
Do you have any shows coming up? Yes. I will have a solo exhibit at the Jamaica Plain Branch Library through the UForge Gallery. That exhibit is In Close Proximity 2.0 and will run from March 4 through May 4, 2022
Marnie Jain
I am a Boston-based artist working primarily in the medium of collage, using magazine cuttings of color as my “paint”. The subject of my work is mostly flora and fauna. I attribute this focus to a childhood spent outdoors, catching frogs and fireflies, observing insects, and tending to wild birds. While I love depicting the beauty and sweetness in nature, I also look to reflect the tensions that exist in the cycle of life. Paper creatures often romp and flutter about my studio, creating their own stories until I am ready to listen. Ultimately, my imagination is the greatest tool. Scissors and glue are mere accomplices.
Website: www.marniejain.com
Instagram: @marniejainart