Jan Russell Fiber Arts and Jewelry
Weaving is the primary language I use to experiment with color and texture. Yarn is my 'canvas and paint' and while I love working with various fibers, I especially love rayon chenille because it comes in an amazing array of gorgeous colors and feels wonderful to the touch.
I think of my scarves as color sketches. Wearable drawings that come to life when worn. I also enjoy adding crocheted 'lettuce' edges to some of my scarves and am having fun creating cowls, skinny scarves, long scarves and wraps. It fascinates me that each piece takes on a personality of it's own when worn and, like things in nature, no two are exactly alike. When combined with you each scarf is a co-creation. My hope for each piece is that it brings the wearer comfort, warmth and joy.
In my wallpieces I often explore spiritual themes. Most of these pieces are abstract compositions of curves, squares and rectangles. I like to attach found objects and gemstones onto the pieces and have started mounting smaller works onto collaged backgrounds.
I fell in love with weaving while attending VCU in Richmond, Virginia where I received a BFA in Crafts in 1970.
I've been making various styles of jewelry for about 25 years. Most recently I've started making woven metal jewelry which I love and find to be a logical extention of my weaving with fiber.
My work is in a number of Virginia galleries and my wall pieces are in the collections of Phillip Morris, MSAD, University of Gotherberg as well as in private collections.
