Our website header is a photograph from inside Jeri Alexander’s most recent sculpture installation. This collection was more than just a display of sculptures, it was an experience to be entered and interacted with. All kinds of artists, including writers, spend time considering the connection and conversations that their creations will have with the world. We wanted to share this insight with you into her art and this process, as well as thank her for letting us display this lovely exhibit at the top of our website!
Let’s start with this collection of work specifically—how did it come to be and what connects it together?
This installation was for my senior installation, I tried to make the room itself art. I wanted to make the room feel creepy, then to layer more and more creepy elements on top until it all came together. That’s what I do with a lot of my art—I keep building—like, here’s a weird thing, what would go with that?
What inspires or influences your work?
As far as inspiration I look to other artists who use elements like mine, that same kind of creepy—I scour the internet, find inspiration from artists I like. Not copying but y’know, trying to get a feel. Also, history and fashion has always inspired me for sure. The first example I can think of is 1930’s Weimar cabaret style.
Who do you create your art for?
The freaks man, the weirdos. C’mon.
When did you start becoming passionate about art? Sculptures? What pushed you towards your mediums?
Straight out the womb dude. I’ve always been passionate about sculpture, makeup, fashion—any kind of studio, 3-d, tangible art. I’m interested in making that interactive, reactive work. That’s how my brain works, I connect more with things I can feel rather than just ideas or something on a page. Tangible art feels more real to me, more visceral; it creates a reaction.
Sculpture and other similar arts can often end up feeling inaccessible due to the money and equipment it requires. How have you worked around that, and do you have any advice for artists trying to work with what feels like nothing?
I like to use any medium I can get my hands on; it doesn’t have to be metal or anything expensive. I think adding together a ton of mixed media is much more interesting than sculptures with a single medium. The more things you have the better it’ll look in the end, is my philosophy. I think this installation really shows that. I started in sculpture because there wasn’t a fashion major at my school and 3-d studio art was the closest. I don’t have much advice, still figuring it out myself. Just work with as much as you can get your hands on. Do whatever you wanna do and don’t follow anyone else’s rules. If someone says don’t do that, you should definitely do it.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
Paris Fashion Week. Or a shipyard. Maybe at the same time.
Jeri is a graduate of Salisbury University. She’s an artist in every sense of the word and is currently working as a visual stylist and as a sculpture studio tech.
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