We were lucky to catch up with Linda Jurkiewicz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Linda, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve created was an installation titled, “Who Will Hear My Plea?”. For this, my third solo show, I was inspired by the beautiful and haunting Renaissance paintings of Saint Agatha holding her breasts on a plate and Saint Lucia’s eyes blossoming from a stem. I paused to wonder how might I explore these women who had deep belief, deep convictions, strong personalities and challenging paths? How could I connect their lives with women in the 21st century?

Using a figure I call “BAH!” that came to me in a dream, I created textile pieces to tell the stories of St. Rose of Lima, St. Margaret, and a religious triptych with St. Agnes, The Virgin Mary, and Saint Lucia. I also honor the ancient historical goddesses Arianrhod, who is Welsh, the Egyptian Goddess, Nut, the Syrian Mother Goddess, Atagartis, and the Hindu deity, Kali.

Each of these figures offered a prayer to the viewer, for example:

Atargatis, I intreat you, that thou wouldst let me feel the deepest waters of my emotions.

Nut, I intreat you, that thou wouldst remind me I must protect myself.

Kali, I intreat you, that thou wouldst let me be fierce in moments when I am in danger.

Mary, I intreat you, that thou wouldst let me know my own gentle, loving, inner mother.

The exhibit became an installation complete with chapel lighting, altars, candles and a continuous running audio track of a Gregorian chant of prayers for women. There was a wall space that was dedicated to the prayers left by the viewers. There were over a hundred prayers posted and they spoke to individual’s need for support, both inner and outer, and prayers for friends and families. These personal expressions confirmed for me the impact the experience left on the viewers.

A video of this show can be found at:

Linda, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Although I had been drawn to visual arts since the 1980’s, I began creating on a regular basis in 2010. Over the years I had learned many different mediums, but when I landed on working with textiles I finally felt that I knew where my strengths could be found.

I primarily work with recycled, repurposed materials, fabric and found objects. I love to work in repetition. Since much of my work centers around women and their lives, I use household goods, tablecloths, dish towels, blankets, and ironing board covers. I embellish my pieces with embroidery, beads, applique, and mixed media. I also work in 3D.

The first explorations led me to discover that creating was a cathartic journey, it was full of processing my own life experiences. This was enlightening and each piece, when completed, made me feel like I had just completed some very important therapeutic work.

Most of my work centers around women and their life experiences, starting from the 1960’s and just naturally moved towards my experiences as a 20-year-old, a mother, a divorced woman, and the crone.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I am driven to make art that asks the viewer to consider the roles that women have been required to fill based on their culture and the time period in which they live/lived. I like to delve into women’s roles as caretakers, as wives, as mothers, as well as women’s unequal status in society, unequal pay and their constant problem with body image and fear of being molested and raped. I question if any of these things have changed for women or are they still locked into situations they no longer want?

I find this a challenging subject and not always comfortable. For women, because sometimes we don’t want to see the situations we are involved in. Men find it uncomfortable as well, and there are as many reasons for that as there are men, I suspect.

I approach the topic with directness and humor, the humor tending to lighten the subject, but always encouraging the viewer to consider the presentation.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Over the years I have learned about artist collectives and artist coalitions, ways to apply for art calls, the Arts and Crafts schools in the US, and artist residencies all over the world.

All of these resources have played very important parts in my development as an artist. Being more involved in my local artist associations has given me an opportunity to meet others who know how important it is for them to create. I have attended several of the Arts and Crafts schools which have exposed me to great teachers and have given me the experience of being immersed in creating.

I have been fortunate enough to have had three art residencies, one in my home state, one in France and one in Lithuania. The opportunity to be immersed in a different culture for a month-long stay was invaluable. I came home with scores of new information and endless ideas for new work.

Last of all, I wish that I had known about my own resiliency, my ability to pursue an idea and to complete it earlier in my life. Being a person who doubted their creativity and always had difficulty completing projects, it is always satisfying when I view my art work!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lizzer58.wixsite.com/lindajurkiewicz
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindajurkiewicz/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.jurkiewicz.94/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geG9IC7AP5I
• Other: KC Studio, September 2023
  

  “Who Will Hear My Plea by Linda Jurkiewicz,” Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, Underground Gallery II

  KC Studio, May 2019

  “Fine Art | Fine Craft: New Work by the Kansas City Fiber Group,” Leedy-Voulkos Art Center

Image Credits

Jason Piggie
Aaron Paden