Bio: Jodi Hoover is an artist, teacher, and librarian working in Western Massachusetts. Her work explores storytelling as a (sometimes unreliable) way to explain the dangerous, beautiful world. Familiar and domestic designs, such as quilt patterns, bleed into fairy-tale landscapes created through the use of layered hand-cut collage work.

Hoover holds a Master of Fine Art degree from Towson University and a Master of Library Science from University of Maryland, College Park. She teaches book and printmaking workshops and has exhibited work throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. She enjoys talking about her rescue dogs and loves cicadas.

Artist Statement: What sorts of stories do bees tell each other when they dance? Do rabbits dream? Do buildings have memories? These fleeting thoughts are the basis for my recent drawings and prints. The work continues my use of narrative as a means of explaining my fears for the natural world as well as trying to determine my place in it.

Layered images create depth and layers of meaning. The decorative forms, inspired by traditional Amish and Mennonite quilt stitching patterns, connect the work to my cultural heritage. The process used to create and hand-cut the shapes, similar to the meticulous skill needed for quilting, makes the connection even stronger. The tension created between traditional forms presented in a contemporary context is an important element to the work and to my story.

The use of animals and other images closely tied to the realm of fairy tales continues the connection to the domestic, to a space where it is safe to explore ideas that are dangerous or alarming. The layered meaning and accessible imagery provide the opportunity for conversations about the beauty of traditional folk forms, contemporary interpretations of fairy tales and the impact our actions have on the fragile world around us.

Website: www.jodihoover.com

Social Media: @jodi_hoover