The Golden Thread
My new artwork has been a labour of love and has taken 2 years to create. Created with a wide variety of art materials- from watercolour to oils and cyanotype to acrylics- I have explored the unique effects that is found in each material. I love to play with light and colour delving into the intersection of the human experience and the Divine. My paintings are a delicate dance of light and nature. I hope each piece displays a sense of transcendence, inviting you to contemplate the beauty and spirituality found in the natural world . My hope is that my work will guild you on a journey of introspection , connecting you to something greater than ourselves.
The story of "The Golden Thread"
Out for a winters walk, I stumbled upon an old quarry. I had never noticed it before because the summer ferns and usual fauna had grown over it, disguising its existence. Then on a rainy day, when the fauna dead, I saw a bare piece of ground and decided to investigate. In the muddy, dug-out earth, I found a dumping ground for old pottery and porcelain. There were broken teacups and saucers, old marmalade jars and chemists bottles. It was a treasure trove of broken things. I could not contain my excitement. The broken pieces were so beautiful, the blue and white patterns, so unique, speaking to me of memories, of objects that were once whole. Maybe they sat on a table surrounded by life, food being shared, moments in time, love.
As I stood there, I already heard the still, small voice: " The broken pieces, the memories, the past- matters of the heart have been broken and hidden by the overgrowth of life. Winter has revealed them and now it is time to pick up the beautiful broken pieces and let me restore them, to heal the memories."
And so my 2 year journey began, exploring different imagery, playing with art materials and creating light and atmosphere.
Inspiration from Kintsugi
The art of Kintsugi has always inspired me. To me , gold represents the sacredness of life, The Divine hand of God. In Japanese culture, Kintsugi restores a broken pot not to its former glory but something even better, where the scars of its brokenness are highlighted with gold. This speaks to me of how humanity's brokenness can be healed and made into something beautiful, useful and restored.
This gold appears in my work in various forms: threads stitched into fabric, a bird designing its home with golden straw, or a plate being repaired with gold leaf. The images of fabric, the warp and the weft, represent the tapestry and story of life. I took the designs found on porcelain and recreated them into my own fabric. I explore images of flowers, which through art history have often symbolised the fragility but beauty of life.
Nature and Divine Helpers
Nature has always been a central theme in my art. Now that I live in the country, I am surrounded by all sorts of creatures that are part of my every day life. I count them as my wee friends. In this body of work, I have used them to represent Divine helpers in our healing journey. Flying creatures like birds, bees and butterflies, evoke an ethereal, heavenly feeling. They posses a perspective far beyond ours. While we focus on what is right in front of us they can see for miles around. Imagine having that kind of perspective.
I hope you enjoy viewing my most recent artwork.
Love Jaclyn
x
Oil and gold leaf on canvas Framed with gold gilt 126 x 95 x 4cm Carry Me is a poignant oil painting. The artwork features four small wrens delicately lifting a lace tablecloth at its corners, surrounded by lush wild ferns and fauna. On the tablecloth lies broken porcelain, symbolising fragility and imperfection. This evocative piece embodies the theme of divine helpers gently transporting brokenness towards a place of repair and healing, reflecting the journey from pain to restoration.
Cyanotype, mixed media on watercolour paper. Framed with gold gilt 78 x 102 x 1.5cm " The sacred seamstress" This cyanotype artwork features a delicately hand-painted golden enamel nest against a backdrop of serene blue hues. Birds in flight are depicted weaving their nest with strands of golden thread. This image speaks to the spiritual journey of building a home, both physically and metaphorically, amidst life's uncertainties. The golden thread represents divine gu
Oil on canvas with gold leaf Framed with gold gilt The Golden Thread is a vibrant oil painting brimming with life, light, and hope. Four white doves soar gracefully amidst a lush expanse of green foliage, each holding a winding, twisting piece of golden thread in their beaks. Their unified flight conveys a sense of purpose and mission, as they carry the symbols of light and hope through the green landscape. This painting captures the essence of divine guidance and healing advancing forwa
Mixed media on paper Framed with gold gilt An orange butterfly rests on two skeleton leaves that resemble being crafted from thread, echoing the veins of the human body and the roots of a tree. Intricately woven with a golden thread, these leaves symbolise the fragility and structure of life, as well as the vital life force that flows through all living beings. The butterfly reflects the transient yet beautiful nature of existence, while the golden thread highlights the sacredness of life.
Oil on canvas Framed with gold gilt frame 52cm round x 2cm
Watercolour and gold enamel on a watercolour scroll 39xm x 70cm x5cm This painting, titled repaired depicts broken shards of blue and white porcelain filling the paper, inspired by fragments found in a nearby quarry. Painted with watercolors to capture the delicacy of each piece, the artwork features a small pile of porcelain edged with gold, symbolising the restoration process.
Watercolour on pastel paper Framed with gold gilt 66cm x 77cm x2cm A small bird is perched on a branch above a cairn of broken porcelain shards. The bird, holding a piece of porcelain in its beak, uses the shards to build its nest. This imagery symbolises memory and serves as a memorial to things lost in the past. The act of the bird constructing its nest from fragments suggests the idea of piecing together memories and experience even from broken remnants, to create a sense of home.
Watercolour and gold enamel on watercolour scroll 39cm x 70cm x 5cm Divine Restoration depicts two plates, one broken and meticulously repaired with gold, and the other whole, set against a backdrop of blooming yellow flowers. This symbolic artwork speaks to the theme of God's pure wholeness intersecting with human brokenness. The repaired plate represents the healing touch of divine grace, turning brokenness into beauty, while the intact plate symbolises God's perfection.
Cyanotype with gold enamel Framed with gold gilt 79x104x2cm The silhouettes of birds gracefully dance among pink blossoms, meticulously fashioning their nest from golden strands of grass. This scene serves as a poignant metaphor for rebuilding a home after upheaval or loss. The delicate pink blossoms not only symbolise the fragility of life but also its inherent beauty.
Watercolour and enamel on watercolour paper Framed with gold gilt 49cm x 50cm x 2cm This watercolor painting features an assemblage of broken blue and white porcelain plate pieces, meticulously rejoined with gold enamel. This artwork draws inspiration from the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which celebrates the beauty of imperfection and repair.
Oil on canvas paper. Framed with gold gilt 29x28x1.5cm "Woven" is a small study of lace painted in oil on canvas paper. It celebrates the delicate nature of lace, highlighting the visibility of each thread of warp and weft. This echoes the metaphor of the tapestry of life, emphasizing the uniqueness of every individual's design.
Oil and gold leaf on canvas. Framed with gold gilt 84 x 104 x 3cm Three tablecloths, including one lace and two inspired by blue and white porcelain designs, hang on a washing line. Two small birds perched on the line share a strand of gold thread in their beaks, symbolising divine intervention. The lace tablecloth is being meticulously mended by the birds. This painting reflects the profound spiritual message of healing and the delicate process of repairing brokenness with grace and care
Cyanotype with acrylic and gold enamel Framed with gold gilt 61cm x 67cm x 2cm A large blue and white porcelain plate, visibly mended with gold, serving as a window to a scene featuring a vibrant hydrangea and a bee. This artwork metaphorically conveys the idea that beauty and sweetness canemerge from brokenness and imperfection. The mended plate symbolises resilience and the transformative power of healing, while the scene beyond represents the flourishing of life.
Watercolour and gold enamel on pastel paper Framed with gold gilt "Untangle" illustrates a bird delicately untangling a mass of threads, with a single gold thread emerging amidst the tangle. This painting symbolises the idea that seeking support from others and Divine intervention can help unravel life's complexities.
Watercolour and gold enamel on watercolour paper Framed with gold gilt 58x76x1.5cm. "Mind, Body, and Soul" is a watercolour painting depicting three pieces of a broken, blue and white porcelain plate. While some kintsugi repairs have been made on the plates, they remain separated. Each piece symbolises our mind, body, and soul, illustrating that we are not just one or the other, but three parts comprising a whole.
Watercolour and gold leaf Framed with gold gilt 33x38x1.5cm A bee hovers delicately over a rose, each petal meticulously formed from individual shards of porcelain, creating a mosaic of fragility and beauty. Above the flower, glistening gold leaf hovers near the bee, adding a touch of elegance and symbolism to the work. Fragments of the past are repurposed into something new and enchanting. The bee's presence symbolises our ongoing journey. The rose embodies beauty found amidst brokenness.
Watercolour and gold enamel on watercolour paper Framed with gold gilt 28x29x1.5cm Fragments is a poignant study of broken porcelain pieces unearthed in a local quarry near where I live. Each shard, once part of a whole object such as a plate, teacup or a saucer, now stands as a testament to the passing of time and the nature of existence. It speaks to me of the fragility and beauty of humanity but also of past memories.
Watercolour. gold leaf and dried flower. Framed with gold gilt 33x38x1.5cm The pressed flower, symbolises the beauty and fragility of life and moments of memory preserved in time. Together, the bee and the pressed flower convey a narrative of the cycle of life, where moments and memories, contribute to the broader tapestry of existence. The bee's interaction with the flower shows the idea that from these preserved moments, new life and beauty emerge.
Acrylic, gold leaf and copper on board Framed with gold frame. 34 x45 x5cm A cairn of broken found porcelain sit on a table, emerging through a haze of gold and copper leaf. The porcelain symbolises past memories and the emotions they evoke. Arranged in a small cairn like those found on top of mountains, the painting suggests a sense of reverence and letting go. It serves as a visual metaphor for the process of holding onto cherished memories memories while also allowing them to go.
Watercolour and acrylic on pastel paper. Framed with gold gilt 58x77 x 1.5cm It depicts five roses, with each petal made from a shard of broken porcelain rimmed with gold.Hovering above is a studious bee, with some petals falling from the body of the rose. This painting speaks of the fragility and beauty of life, illustrating how from the fragile, sweetness can still emerge. The roses symbolise resilience and the ability to find beauty amidst adversity, while the bee represents perseverence.
Oil and gold enamel on canvas Framed with gold gilt frame 95c x 95cm x5cm Cascading blue and white fabric intricately painted with designs reminiscent of broken porcelain. Upon closer inspection, some sections of the fabric are visibly repaired, while others remain in the process of restoration. Gold thread delicately weaves in and out of the tears alongside the frayed fabric, symbolising the ongoing process of healing and restoration guided by divine intervention.
Oil on canvas, Framed with gold gilt 21x27x3cm "Light Divine" is an oil painting on canvas depicting delicate, cascading blue and white fabric with designs inspired by broken porcelain. A tear in the fabric, repaired with gold thread, symbolises healing and divine intervention. The gold thread represents the divine light that mends and restores, transforming imperfections into sources of beauty and strength.
Cyanotype, mixed media on paper. Framed with gold gilt 38cm x42cm x2cm Hovering above the nearly skeletal, translucent lily, evoking fragility and delicacy is an orange-winged butterfly, with a splash of gold leaf nearby. The painting has an ethereal quality, symbolising the fleeting yet enduring nature of memories. The fragile lily and ephemeral butterfly together represent the beauty and transience of past moments, while the gold leaf suggests the preciousness of these memories.
Watercolour on paper. Framed with gold gilt 55x74 x 1.5cm This painting, titled "Memories," is the first in the artist's collection. It depicts broken shards of blue and white porcelain filling the paper, inspired by fragments found in a nearby quarry. Painted with watercolors to capture the delicacy of each piece, the artwork features a small pile of porcelain edged with gold, symbolising the restoration process.
Oil on canvas, Framed with gold gilt 49cm x 64cm x 3cm "Uniquely Crafted" is an oil painting depicting intricately joined pieces of blue and white porcelain-inspired patterned fabric. Each piece is connected like patchwork with gold thread, symbolising the different stages and experiences of our lives. The gold thread represents the story God's guiding hand weaving through our lives, forming a beautiful and meaningful patchwork blanket.
Watercolour on watercolour paper. Framed with gold gilt 75 x 58cm x 1.5cm "Brokenness to Life" is a watercolour painting on paper depicting pieces of broken plates joined together with gold, set against a backdrop of yellow flowers and green leaves. This imagery symbolises the beauty and renewal that can emerge from brokenness, with the gold highlighting the sacredness of life , the value in mending and the flowers representing new life and growth.
Watercolour on Watercolour paper. Framed with gold gilt 58 x76 x1.5cm "Life Pushes Through" is a watercolour painting featuring shards of broken porcelain scattered across the ground, each rimmed with gold. From the cracks and spaces between the shards, large roses emerge, symbolising resilience and renewal. The roses, pushing through the broken pieces, suggest that beauty and life can arise from brokenness and adversity.