At first glance, the idea of Jennifer Trask using animal bones as a primary component in her sculptures can be interpreted as morbid and used specifically to provoke. Yet delving deeper into Jennifer’s ideas reveals the truth: there is beauty in this substance that is so integral to our very being:
As the ultimate expression of both physical sensation and emotional sentiment (eg.: ‘I feel it in my bones’) bone is the absolute reductive essence of both life, and death…My imagery is derived from my examination of the structures of plant and animal life, from the plainly visible down to the microscopic patterns of growth in nature…The jewelry object is an outgrowth of the painting and reaches past the two dimensional plane…My hope is that in a moment of visceral delight, or simple curiosity perhaps one might reclaim a sense of wonder…
Jennifer shows a meticulous grace in her ability to so intricately fit together the reclaimed bones from a multitude of animals. The bones can include anything from snake vertebrae to jawbones, teeth, antlers and chicken ribs, constantly allowing Jennifer to find the best way to use her gifts. With her initial training beginning in metalsmithing, Jennifer discovered the art of bone crafting by carving the substance for jewellery making. Over the last decade, she has developed to push the boundaries of scale, intricacy and potential; the bone is treated and cured, encouraging its pliability, dried out and then carved to contribute to her complex combinations. Jennifer has produced many different series of work over the years, including her most recent Unnatural Selection. The work is an amalgamation of bone, resin, wood, shell and genuine 17th, 18th and 19th century frames, producing unique centrepieces that can take up to eight months to make, as well as a broad selection of unparalleled jewellery.
Her work mirrors her interest in the history of Baroque art and ornament with a sound fascination for botanical forms. The outcomes are both royal and humbling. Currently, Jennifer’s work is being shown in numerous galleries including the Lisa Sette Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Gallery Loupe in New Jersey. For a full list of her exhibitions, click here.
