Fields -Mirror Installation by Jackie Partridge

Fields is made from colourful sewn thread and flax handmade paper. It measures 18’x 3.5.’ I made this work in 2015 while completing my MFA at Concordia university in Montreal, QC. 

I created this artwork by sewing on a dissolvable fabric and layering different colours of thread. Sometimes, I would have a different colour in the bobbin and a different colour in the tread. I sewed in a back and forth manner to resemble the repetitive motion of planting and harvesting crops in fields. After sewing, I dissolved the fabric and took the pieces to the paper making studio where I squeezed flax pulp through a tube in patches of the sewing. Once I was done applying the pulp I put the artwork through the paper press to squeeze out excess water as part of the paper making process. Then I let the artwork dry flat; it took about 24 hours to dry. There are about 10 separate panels of this artwork in total. 

The pieces of this art installation are quite delicate and fragile. I suspended them with thread that tied onto the individual pieces. 

Usually this installation is hung against the wall but in this installation from 2017, I got to hang this textile artwork in front of the mirror. I loved how the thread was reflected and looked like a long continuous line drawing. When the artwork hangs against the wall it does create some really beautiful shadows.I would love to add to this piece and make it larger in the future. 

You can see the original installation of this piece - here!

Detail of Fields installation

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Trail - Arm Knitted Installation by Jackie Partridge

Trail detail by Jackie Partridge, arm-knitted lace strips

Trail by Jackie Partridge is a work from my art archive that I made while living in Montreal and going to school for my MFA. This fiber artwork is very performative as I used the knitting process to create it. The act of knitting is very repetitive and labour intensive. It is the same motion over and over again. Learn more about this textile artwork below!

Trail

1’x 20', found lace, sewing and arm knitting, 2016. 

The work was displayed at Ancienne École des Beaux Arts for the end of year MFA exhibition “Maureen” in 2016.

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This art installation is made by cutting long strips of found lace curtains. The strips of lace were sorted by colour from a yellow cream colour all the way to a pure white at the bottom of the piece. The colour created a nice gradient. The strips were then sewn together to create a very long strip that was then wrapped like a ball of yarn. This process was repeated twice. Like knitting, I used my arms as the “knitting needles” and continued to knit for over an hour to create this 20 foot long installation that was suspended from the top of the staircase. I knit continuously since I used my arms as the knitting needles.

When this piece is lit it produces some beautiful shadows from the design of the white lace. 

I have also displayed this textile artwork outside in the snow. You can see the photograph at the bottom. I liked draping it in the snow and seeing how it dragged across the snow. 

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Outdoor installation of Trail by Jackie Partridge in the snow

Conceal - Art Installation by Jackie Partridge

Conceal is a project that was inspired my a previous work Trapped this work is from 2017 by artist Jackie Partridge.  In the installation below I use the same hand dyed and hand embroidered dishcloth quilt from Trapped. The dishcloth quilt is made to resemble an aerial view of farmlands. Farming runs in my family as both sets of grandparents and great-grandparents owned farms. I grew up in Wellesley, Ontario, a small town surrounded by farmlands. I watched the land over time develop into subdivision after subdivision. This artwork became symbolic for concealing or covering, protecting and hiding the land. The dishcloths are dyed with inks and acrylic fluids with bright colours of greens, browns, yellows, oranges and pinks to represent the colours and beauty of farm fields. I really wanted to highlight the beauty and vibrancy of the landscape.

I am interested in quilts and fibre art because when I grew up I had 8 grandmothers including great-grandmothers and great-great-grandmothers. So the craft of embroidery and sewing are very important to my family heritage. 

With my art practice I often reuse elements and photograph different artwork outside to change and transform the context of the work itself. I see my art evolving and transforming through time similar to how the landscape is in a constant state of change.

This quilt inspired artwork is draped over rocks at my grandmother’s house in Kinmount, ON. Their property is a special place where I enjoy spending my summer. I find being in nature to be a very inspiring place for my work and me as an artist. Photographed by me in summer 2017.

I see the quilt as a symbol of protection, warmth and comfort. Like most quilts are. 

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Trapped -Art Installation by Jackie Partridge

Trapped is an art installation from 2016 by Jackie Partridge that I completed during my MFA. In this installation I hand dyed and hand embroidered dishcloths and sewed them together as a large quilt. I want the quilt to be seen as an aerial view of farmlands. 

Above the quilt drapes a large sewn thread installation -made from white thread. The sewn piece is stitched on a dissolvable surface. The sewn structure mimics that shape of my hometown as viewed from a map and inside the shape are rows and rows of a basic symbol of a house shape. 

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View the art project Conceal- inspired by this piece!

Detail of sewn net, part of Trapped installation by Jackie Partridge

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Field of Green - Art Installation by Jackie Partridge

Field of Green by Jackie Partridge

Photo Credit: Eliane Excoffier

Field of Green, ink and acrylic fluids on polyester with ink on Mylar, 2016 - by Jackie Partridge

The piece is approximately 19 feet long. The piece has sewn in magnets and it suspends slightly away from the wall resting on nails. I’m happy with how this installation turned out as it was quite complicated to plan and ensure that the fabric and magnets were evenly placed. It was difficult to install Field of Green. I completed this large and colourful artwork during my Master of Fine Arts at Concordia University while I was in the Fibres and Material Practices Program. 

I love using Golden Acrylic Fluids because there is less of a water concentration and it is more of a pure pigment so the colours are a lot more bright and vibrant. I started painting with inks on sheer, transparent fabric during my undergraduate degree at Lakehead University. I started painting on mylar which is a transparent plastic type paper during my Master of Fine Arts degree at Concordia University. I like the way the colours dry and layer on top of each other creating rings of colour and interesting lines.

When the ink is applied to the polyester it creates these abstract and organic forms. Layer after layer is applied. I love playing with transparency and layers and being able to see the painted mylar underneath the layer of sheer fabric. 

This artwork is inspired by my family heritage of farming and the countryside surrounding my hometown in Wellesley, ON. Both of my grandparents were farmers and my mom’s parents owned a family century owned farm. The bright colours chosen highlight the beauty of the landscape and the vastness of the farmland that surrounds my hometown and where I grew up.

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Detail of Field of Green by Jackie Partridge

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Related Artwork and Articles

Fielding Through - a book inspired by this artwork

Winding Road- inspired by this work

Why I became an artist

A Needle in a Haystack - Textile Art Installation by Jackie Partridge

A Needle in a Haystack by Jackie Partridge

wall piece: 4.5'x 4 floor piece 3.3'x 3', found fabric, sewing, 2015-2016

Braided strips of found fabric create an abstracted hay bale referencing the traditional rag rug. The two hay bales are attached together with a long braid like umbilical cord connecting generations.  This textile artwork was created by Jackie Partridge in 2015-2016 while I was completing my MFA at Concordia University.

This artwork is inspired by my family heritage of farming and my matriarchal line. Both of my grandparents were farmers and my mom’s parents owned a family century owned farm.

Growing up, I had 8 grandmothers including great-grandmothers and great-great grandmothers. My matriarchal line was very skilled in sewing, embroidery, knitting and crochet which really inspired me to pursue textile art and study it during my MFA.

This is a piece of past artwork from the archive. To see my current artwork - click here!

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Other Art You Might Like/Related Articles

Trail- 20 foot arm-knitted lace textile art installation

Trapped- textile art installation with hand dyed and hand embroidered dish cloths

Why I became an artist