From There to Here: A Commission for JB Hunt

Andrea Cornwell, Don House and Jennifer Libby Fay in the JB Hunt lobby • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

As a proactive artist I am always looking for new opportunities to show and sell my work in the community. I try to build relationships with designers, decorators, and the community at large in hopes of finding new venues for my abstract textiles.

I was thrilled when Andrea Cornwell of iSpace suggested that my work might be perfect in the newly redesigned headquarters lobby of JB Hunt Transport Services. It was exciting to meet with her and show her my ideas. After our discussion, which included Don House of House Photoworks, we decided the piece should would be largely abstract hand dyed fabric and also incorporate photographs which from a distance would present as abstract shapes but as the viewer moved closer they would see trucks and trains, wrenches and wheel rims. I prepared small scale mock-ups and we pitched the idea to company executives. When Andrea told me my proposal for three 10’ x 2.6’ panels had been accepted I felt as if I was floating with happiness and excitement. Fortunately, working on large scale textiles—wrestling with big pieces of wet fabric, hot irons and a fussy sewing machine can bring a person down to earth quickly!

I designed the 10’ x 9’ textile painting, From There to Here, to show off the diversity and breadth of the JB Hunt company. As CEO, John Roberts told me, “we’re not just a trucking company anymore.”  J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., is one of the largest transportation logistics companies in North America, they provide transportation services to customers throughout the continental United States, Canada and Mexico. 

In Phase One the photographs were transferred to the cloth.

From There to Here, Phase 1 • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

In Phase two each panel was marbled.

From There to Here • Phase 2 • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

Then I did a lot of ironing.

From There to Here • Phase 3 • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

Next I made the colorful hand dyed fabric that would add color and interest around the photograhs.

From There to Here • Phase 4 • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

The Back Vault Gallery at the Underground was used as a laboratory to determine the next steps.

From There to Here • Phase 5 • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

 I added stitching to intergrate the layers.

From There to Here • Phase 6 • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

And then we hung it up.

From There to Here • Installation • Photo ©2011 House Photoworks

This is an exciting chapter in my career as an artist and I am pleased to be able to share it with my blog readers. I thank everyone for their support.