Arteles Catalogue 2023-2020

Silence Awareness Existence program / FEBRUARY 2023
Jennifer A Gillenwater
USA
www.jennifer-gillenwater.com
About
Jennifer is an interdisciplinary artist based in Chicago, IL.
She is an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker that
has presented films in festivals around the world. She works
primarily in filmmaking and video installation, and additionally
works with fibers, textiles, and ceramics. She received her
BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2020
and is looking to pursue an MFA in 2023. Jennifer works
primarily on comedic and experimental narrative topics
inspired by genres such as existentialism and surrealism.
Her work is rooted in storytelling from a deconstructive
lens that redefines the relationship between the viewer
and art. Inspiration for her work comes from exploration
of nature, dreams, and spirituality as well as research and
experimentation in storytelling.
Research and Experimentation
I found out I would attend Arteles 3 weeks before I was due
to arrive. I came to Arteles in search of creative inspiration;
looking for a new story to tell and a new landscape to
explore. During the month, I developed a short script about
a girl searching for her soul in a transcendent realm. I made
progress on textile projects, advancing a crochet coral piece
and starting a new knit pattern. Arteles was a wonderful
home to reconnect with myself and my artmaking process.
Through adventure in the Finnish woodlands and playful
experimentation with ice making, I found myself connecting
with the elements all around us and listening to the stories
they had to tell. I got to research, play, and collect media
surrounding my own reflection on Silence, Awareness,
Existence.