Q & A

Frequently asked questions of Jane:

Q. Why do you choose to focus on the female form?

A. I'm interested in exploring the issue of women, negative body image and the feminine ideal. In the US, there is a near obsession with being thin (and yet, our country grows heavier every day). The media is inundated with diet advertising and images of an idealized 'thin' woman. As a result, there is an epidemic of women unhappy with their bodies. In my work over the years, I have taken the iconic female form -- women on the fashion runway, women posing for pictures, pin-up girls - and deconstructed the form to comment on this issue. I've taken away the sexy skivvies and skin tight dresses and replaced them with layers of vintage produce labels, old hollywood posters and related materials. I've recently begun to work with women in seated, more contemplative poses to further reflect on this issue.

Q. The women in your pieces have a sense of anonymity, are their identities intentionally hidden?

A. I'm not intentionally hiding their identities. I am more creating a 'universal' woman. I hope for the viewer to identify in some way with the figure, or to be curious about her. What's she thinking about? Is she comfortable in her body?

Q. Where do you find the silhouettes?

A. I search for silhouettes everywhere - on billboards, red carpet photos, fashion runway shows (online), magazines, etc. I believe it is on the fashion runways - with rail-thin models, and on the red carpet - with Hollywood's ematiated actresses, that the fantasy of the perfect body begins, and is perpetuated. I'm interested in taking those iconic moments that are so present in the consumer's mind - and deconstructing the image.

Q. Why did you choose collage as your medium?

A. I've always been drawn to vintage and unusual papers and other objects to make art. For years I'd been an avid antique and flea market forager--searching for anything from vintage papers to old game pieces to other funky ephemera. I've also always been drawn to the tactile qualities and originality of good fashion and interior design. Collage was the medium where I could make art by combining my interests in all of these visual areas.

Q. What materials do you most like to work with?

A. I love to work with found and vintage papers. I like the way these materials have their own history and unique patina. I am interested in how materials can be manipulated. I think that any piece of art becomes more interesting and authentic when there is a level of complexity and layering of unusual materials.

Q. Where do you get most of your materials?

A. I visit the Brimfield Antiques Fair in Brimfield, MA at least once a year. It has miles of amazing vendors with fabulous finds. I also find really interesting materials on Ebay and other websites. Most recently, I've been gathering wonderful vintage Hollywood posters from a web auction site called www.emovieposter.com.

Q. How do you use beeswax in your work?

A. I use an original method of combining and layering materials with wax. I melt granulated beeswax at a high temperature on a hot pallete. I then take several layers of papers that have been glued together, and lay them onto the hot pallete and paint on the beeswax. The heat and the beeswax seep through the layers revealing imagery and texture. The beeswax also serves as a nice protective layer.

Q. Your recent work has a shiny, reflective surface, what is that?

A. I have begun to use a special 3-layer application of resin on the work. It lends itself well to making the many layers of the work come to life more vividly. I also like the juxtaposition of the vintage materials beneath the modern, slick surface.

Q. Were you an art major?

A. I was not an art major. I graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1986 with a major in American Literature. In 1994 I took my first art clas at Montserrat College in Beverly, MA. I then delved into a variety of classes at the DeCordova Museum School in Lincoln, MA and at the Museum School in Boston. I have been largely self-taught. I have found the most exciting ideas and techniques from mistakes I've made along the way.

Q. What did you do before pursuing an art career?

A. Following college, I worked in the public relations industry--in Boston and New York City. I spent the majority of my PR career as a writer (of press kits, brochures and speeches) and as a Creative Director. As Creative Director (at Clark & Company PR in Boston), I helped both our clients and staff think outside the box about how to reach our target audiences.

Q. Which other artists or art movements have inspired your work?

A. I'm a big fan of Rauchenberg, Warhol, Cornell and Nevelson. And, I love the current work of Shepard Fairey and Greg Miller.