Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

Artist Profile: Jen Worden

by Cyndi on April 5th, 2007

Comfort of Home

Artist: Jen Worden
Location: Rural Nova Scotia, Canada.
Website: Jen Worden

Lady Bug! Lady Bug!

Jen, you work in so many different media. How do you describe what you do?
A rather roundabout answer, I worked exclusively in digital media for over 10 years even though my initial training was in fine art. Eventually though I had this giant gnawing need to get back to something more tangible, more tactile when I discovered altered books. The process of taking something with one use and creating an entirely new one was very liberating for me. In the earlier years I created using very limited tools which instilled a sort of “pioneer” mentality of discovering new creative uses with everyday materials which I believe influence my work today. In my mixed media work, I tend toward very layered, very textured pieces often repurposing older/uninspired canvases into something new and exciting, almost a rebirthing process. My work has been described as dark though I don’t always see it that way.

What is your creative process like?
There is an awful lot of “downtime” to my process. Some might even say procrastination! I prefer to think of it as rumination. I work in spurts, a sort of all or nothing method that can lead to tremendous angst and guilt during the “nothing” periods and a manic outpouring of non-stop creativity during the “all” stage.

During the on phase I tend to work very intuitively, let my muse take over and try to interfere as little as possible. Simply because I know that if I get involved I could end up drying up the process. It’s happened before - over-thinking and second guessing myself - to the point that I end up not liking the end result, culminating in a downturn in productivity.

I also have many projects on the go at one time, upwards of 5 or 6 working projects - meaning they are in a real state of creation - and perhaps another 3 or 4 in the fragile infant stage - that is a collection of items, in a basket for example, where I might add or subtract pieces of paper, bits of metal, swatches of colour over time until an idea gels is born into a full blown canvas or assemblage piece.

Angel of Mercy (first in a series)

Assemblage takes me much, much longer to create than mixed media pieces simply because the entire process needs to be thought out beforehand. Nothing more aggravating than getting midway into a piece only to find out I added Section A before Section B and now Section B needs to have Sections C & D glued inside. Lots of DE-assembling goes on in my assemblage pieces!My mixed media pieces almost always start with one image - usually a photograph - where I employ my favourite transfer technique: inkjet print, thin layers of gel medium, removing the paper backing, applying to the substrate then removing the top layer of gel medium. This method gives a very painterly feeling to the transfer but it requires an enormous amount of drying time between active “doing” time and one of the reasons why I have so many projects on the go!

What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
As I mentioned, I did some formal training in fine art where my chosen medium was actually watercolour. I took a number of workshops over the years but was completely frustrated by my inability to create what I saw in my head. So much so, that I actually burned all my work in one giant cathartic puff of smoke! I’ve been told I have a penchant for the dramatic! What this did for me however, was allow for complete freedom of expression. In some odd way it took the pressure off of me to create perfection. After all I know that if something doesn’t work out I can always burn it!

When I started working digitally the “world wide web” could actually be surfed in a day! I was using Paint creating images pixel by pixel. In black and white. And images had to be under 20 bytes. Not kilobytes. *BYTES*!! I think that limitation taught me that wonderful imagery was still possible within such a small framework. I often find my best work ends up being created with the simplest materials.

Fish Ladder

Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
I hope that I don’t ever feel that way. Ultimately it’s about making art. The tools and/or materials shouldn’t even enter into it. Having said that I do have my preferences. I love Golden paints. I covet my cranky Epson Photo printer. I’ve spawned a new love affair with my propane torch. And I love rusty metal anything.

What inspires you to create?
Oh boy! If I could give a definitive answer I just might have discovered my own personal Holy Grail! What I do know is that something wells up inside and it HAS to come out. It could be the way the light hits a building or the turn of a child’s face or a photograph in a magazine or reading a well written passage in a book. But something creates a spark which slowly builds inside. Often I don’t even know where it’s going to end but it HAS to come out!

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
Perhaps because my creativity is so on again/off again I rarely get frustrated WHILE I’m working. For me frustration stems from my inactivity. I’ve learned though that it always comes back. I now see it as a need for my creative well to fill up and when it’s topped up the flurry will begin once again.

Lost. And Found

What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
There is no better way to increase your ability than in Nike’s infamous advertisements than to “Just Do It”. Too often we place self-imposed road blocks fueled by excuses, myself included, in our own way. I saw a great adage on the Two Keys to Success. 1. Identify what needs to be done. 2. Do it. Sometimes it really is that simple!

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
I call it “life” but often it is just frittering time away while my brain absorbs and readjusts and my muse takes it all in. I spend a fair amount of time on the internet - much to my continued chagrin! I spend a lot of time with my husband and family. I also train for triathlon which makes for an interesting balance of excesses!

What’s your favorite comfort food?
As much as I’m trying to get away from food as comfort, I will always gravitate to cheese. A curse for someone who will always battle with weight. *sigh*

favourite book… I read Speak Rwanda last year and trite as it may sound, it changed my perspective on life. Being a black and white kinda girl it made me realize there are so very many shades of grey. What we assume to be true sometimes isn’t. And I am eternally astounded by man’s continued generousity AND malevolence.

Floor Tile (a work in progress)

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