Watch Children

Opening Reception    January 28th, 2023    4pm-6pm
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Show runs from -
January 28th, 2023 - March 18th, 2023
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​​​​(Click above image for press kit)​

​Artist - Jennifer McBrien

Statement

My stitches tell a narrative about the fragility of our world using birds, plants, and figures as subjects. I choose a fragile medium of embroidery to emphasize its delicateness, as well as a medium in which the connection of hand and material are constant. Whether a freehand machine or hand stitching, my hands are guiding and manipulating thread and fabric. My process begins with my ink drawings from observation or photographic references. I translate the ink with the stitched line. Color and form are added with overlaying threads, fabric, or felt. I get very excited about finding vintage and up-cycled fabrics that have scenes that my subjects can interact with to tell their story. I am drawn to overlay and transparency leading me to experiment with a variety of fabrics from felt to organza.

My series “Watch Children” is based on a series of paintings I created in the early 2000’s based on the contour line drawings of my high school students that modeled for figure drawing during my studio class. I am adding bird heads to their adolescent “bored” poses for this new series. They are “watching” over important pollinators, seeds and species important for their future. All line work is drawn freehand on my sewing machine.

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Biography

Jennifer McBrien began her artistic career as a painter, exhibiting her work throughout the East Coast from the mid 80’s to mid 2000’s. As a painter, she received two Baltimore City Arts Grants (1991, 2005) and a Maryland State Individual Artist Award in painting in 2005. Needing a change in her focus and her medium, McBrien began working in fibers around 2005. Her experimentation has lead her to using her sewing machine as her drawing and painting tool to interpret her ink drawings of birds, figures and plant life. After a two week embroidery class at Penland School of Craft, she started to add hand embroidery to her narrative works. Her art has been included in art exhibits: “Birdland and Anthropocene” at the Peale Art Center in Baltimore, and “Stitch” at Community Arts in Phoenixville, PA , both in 2017; “Extravagant Visions, Extraordinary Imaginings” at Towson University in 2018, and “ ..and your Bird can Sing” at the Fleckinson Gallery in Baltimore in 2019. McBrien has been part of a number of Fine Craft Fairs including One-of-a-Kind in Chicago and throughout the Northeast that include the American Craft Council Fine Craft fair in Baltimore, PA Guild Craft Guild at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, PA, The Academy Art Museum Craft Show in Easton, MD, Bethesda Row Arts Festival, Bethesda, MD. And The Visual Art Center of Richmond's Craft + Design in Richmond VA. She won Best in Show at the 2021 Bethesda Row Arts Festival.

Website - ​https://www.jennyjen42.com/​

Baker Artist Portfolio - https://bakerartist.org/portfolios/jennifer-mcbrien​

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