Jean Brandel        

		It is my pleasure to introduce you to outstanding Canadian textile artists. This month I am delighted to show you the work of my friend and colleague, Jean Brandel. Jean is a dedicated textile artist, bringing her strong work ethic to her studio where she is very productive. She is always challenging herself to learn more, do more and do differently. She is thoughtful and inquisitive. Her disciplined enquiry has lead her to interesting personal discoveries.
It was her interest in personal learning that was the catalyst for the "Inside the Dress" project. As I have gotten to know Jean I have discovered a paradoxical nature which is reflected in her work. She works with soft delicate materials to produce strong compositions. She is a shy person who makes bold statements. One of the many things I admire about her is that she follows her own course. I hope you will enjoy seeing Jean's work. - Mary Holdgrafer. Please click on these thumbnails to see the enlargements:

"Autumn Calls"

"Cabin Fever at -40c"

"Still Life with Apple"

"I have always enjoyed making art as a process of discovery. After working in clay for ten years I turned to textiles and discovered things in cloth that I could not have created in clay. Consequently, a whole new world opened up.

My working process always involves a conceptual component. When creating new pieces I have an idea of what I want to accomplish but this often changes, as I like to work intuitively. I find it liberating when a new work knows what it wants to become and dictates it's own transformation. My work centers on two ways of construction: the first is fibre assemblages consisting of layers of tulle and assorted fabrics, composed on a heavy ground fabric and held in place with a zigzag machine stitch. The second method is mixed media collages that are machine sewn incorporating such materials as fabric, handmade paper and found objects.

I have recently been working on a series depicting seasonal changes. I find inspiration from these cycles that are part of the common ground that shape our lives and bring new beginnings to each season. And while still working with this subject matter I will be focusing on the project, "Inside the Dress" previously explained by Mary on this website. I am excited about this introspective project as it will prove challenging as the work will be three-dimensional and will require journaling of the process. I am confident that this project will be a visually and exciting experience for both the artist and the viewer."

Jean Brandel. May, 2004



Also: See more of Jean's work as a guest artist at Marie Nagel's Gallery: www.marienagel.com/guestartists.html#JeanBrandel

- as well as at the Fibre Art Network website, displaying:
"Summer's End" and "Flight of Excitement"



You can reach Jean Brandel by email - jbrandel@shaw.ca