Spotlight on... Jack Reed '10 and Jennifer Yamane '09

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Jack Reed '10 and Jennifer Yamane '09 recently exhibited selected works from their Advanced Independent Study in Studio Art. Their collaboration was shown in the Johnson Gallery for the week of April 26. Emily Stephens interviewed Reed and Yamane about the process and motivation behind their art show.

The Middlebury Campus: When did you first discover that you had a passion for creating art?

Jack Reed: I never took art classes in high school and didn't discover my passion for art until I took Jim Butler's drawing class as a first-year. What started off as an "easy course" soon became my major. It turned out that I loved making art.
Jennifer Yamane: I realized I had a passion for drawing and photography in high school when I started taking art classes.

TC: Where did you find the majority of your inspiration for this project?

JR: Jeesh, what inspired me? I have always been interested in re-contextualizing objects. Whether it's juxtaposing or re-painting, I am very interested in the ordinary object and transforming it into art. I think the process of re-contextualizing is fascinating, and I enjoy changing how people think about daily objects.
JY: I gather inspiration from many sources. I love spending hours flipping through art books, magazines and advertisements. I collect aspects that I like about these images and combine them in new, different ways until I find something I like. Then I take that idea and push it further.

TC: How do you think your own personal styles have changed throughout your Middlebury career? And how is that reflected in your final show?

JR: I've definitely developed my own artistic style over the years. In classes, I noticed that I was always drawn to shiny and reflective materials, toys, bright colors and consumer goods. This semester I embraced these preferences and really tried to make them mine. Figuring out how to use these materials, edit myself and present them has been a challenge, but I think the professors I've had here really helped me along the way.
JY: I feel like my style changes based on what I am exposed to. For example, I just bought a new digital camera, and I have had easy access to large amounts of ink this semester, which is why my work uses a lot of photography and detail line drawings in ink. If I come across a new medium or material, it will become my new obsession, and I have to use it for almost every piece.

TC: What is it like collaborating with another artist in creating a show?

JR: Working and showing with Jen was great - she is super talented and is full of great ideas. We made three works together for the show - which ended up being used for our posters. We decided to combine both of our artistic talents and tastes - my glitter, bright colors and kitschiness with Jen's intricate drawings and photo-transformations. It was a rewarding process and very interesting too - not being in total control over a work and watching it develop in someone else's hands. Furthermore, I really enjoy her work and it looks great paired with mine.
JY: I think it was a great experience. Jack has such a different style than I do, and I can't even begin to figure out how he comes up with his wild ideas, so I found his input very refreshing and inspiring.

TC: What were the biggest challenges that you had to overcome in completing your show?

JR: The biggest challenge was making art for a deadline. Most painters spend months or even years on a single painting. I, on the other hand, made a dozen paintings in a few short weeks. It was very demanding work and I barely slept. I guess in that sense it is similar to any other thesis, although with the added pressure of showing your work to your friends, peers, parents, etc. It can be a little nerve-wracking to have all these people judging you indirectly. You have to be proud of your work in order to show it.
JY: The gallery space in Johnson can be quite daunting. With all that white space, you want to make enough (good) art to fill up the walls. And then once you accomplish this, you have to decide where and how to hang the pieces. I would go back and forth over whether or not this photograph should go next to this one, or should this piece be closer to this piece. There were many things to consider.

TC: Do you plan to continue creating art of this caliber after college?

JR: I will definitely continue to make art after college - it's my favorite thing to do. Someday I'd like to get my MFA and try to be a "real" artist, or maybe a professor.
JY: Middlebury is such a great resource. Here, I have access to a large printer, paper and other materials that allow me to work on such a large scale. Once that's gone, I don't think I can. Of course, I plan to continue creating art, but unless I choose a grad school with a large plotter and lots of space, I will probably never make work like this again.
- Emily Stephens, Arts Editor