Until about the age of 6, I grew up in fairly rural area of Greensboro, North Carolina. My parents were avid gardeners and some of my fondest memories where of snapping green beans, skinned knees and following my parents around the yard, as they pruned and planted throughout the growing season.
There was plenty of land to roam as unsupervised kids and we took full advantage of it. If asked, we could recite the trees in our yard; cherry, pear, oak, dogwood and magnolias. It was here that I naturally developed a love of being outdoors, gardening and a fascination with plant and earth sciences. These earliest childhood impressions, along with a mother who encouraged creativity, are what I carry into my work today.
So, for the better part of 20 plus years, I’ve been making art and choosing to live creatively. Originally, I came to Western New York to pursue my MFA in Ceramics at RIT’s School for American Craft, eventually settling in Buffalo, NY. Before this, I had traveled around the US and Caribbean for several years, where my natural inclination for plant biology overlapped with a love for the enormous plant growth and lush, saturation of the sub-tropics. The ecology of western NY has been just as inspiring, with the diverse hiking trails, rivers and Great Lakes.
Working with my hands, traveling, hiking and experiencing people and places outside of my direct understanding have always been an interest for me. At my best, I am curious.
These recent works, featured in the CULTIVATE exhibition, are a reflection of this continued curiosity. Threads of previous works in content and style are always present although, I intentionally choose to pursue work that is continually explorative and in response to my direct natural environment.
Jody Selin is one of eight gallery artists represented by Main Street Arts. She is featured in the exhibition CULTIVATE which runs April 7 through May 18, 2018.
