Between

JANEL JACOBSON

Material and Technique
Boxwood, Acrylic/24K Gold Leaf Eyes
Hand Carved
2.7” H x 2.2” W x 1.9” D

About The Work
This piece brought together a range of creative experiences gained through more than four decades of studio work. Having begun my young adult life as a potter, I later moved into the realm of wood, with carving as the continuum. All experiences were called upon to create this piece: the relationship with wheel-thrown pots, my passion for tree frogs as subjects for carving, and some earlier training with the lathe as I revisited circular forms. After twenty solid years of small wood sculpture exploration, my thoughts drifted back to the earlier years of working with clay. The frog, often an emblem of “return”, perched on the rim of a tiny fluted cup became a representation of my position in self-history between realms of experiences. The boxwood, storm-damaged, salvaged by another wood artist, came from a Pennsylvania arboretum. It is extremely dense and hard, and was a joy to carve.

Inspiration comes from the natural world around her rural home. An intimate look at creatures and plants in their environment yields themes with elements of serenity or surprise. Her work points out little things in nature that most of us tend to disregard during our busy lives, and might present a small story which arouses quiet memories in the mind of the viewer.