In her day job, Jody Cain encourages middle schoolers to explore art, and think outside the box when approaching their own creations. But on nights and weekends, Jody is an artist herself—one who frequently experiences the pleasure of seeing her work on local establishments, including Lower Queen Anne hair salon Nucleus.
“As far as my art work goes, I love to work in a variety of media! Mixed media is the best description- utilizing as many discarded materials as possible. I generally work on wood, anything from scrap lumber, plywood, and anything friends and family pass my way,” Jody says. “I use papers layered on the wood to create my background initially. On top of this I create my illustration, layering paints, pencils, and charcoals. Many times I include personal memorabilia such as poems, images, and journal pages, embedding texture and meaning into my work. I currently have gotten my hands on a handwritten ledger for an antique store, written by a lovely 80-year-old relative of mine. The handwriting from her era is impressive, beautiful in it’s own right…These are the things that add texture at first glance and then make you want to take a second closer look.”
Jody says she first started doing art when her grandmother, the matriarch of the family, got sick.
“It sent me for a tailspin. She was a spunky retired teacher herself who stood by me during everything,” she said. “She was the kind of Grandma who always had a special something to send home with you when you stopped by, yet also wasn’t afraid to call you on the floor when she thought you needed it.
The upcoming loss, she says, sent her “looking for something to make sense.”
“She didn’t want anyone seeing her “not together” so the best thing I could do was create…showing her all the little things that went into the big picture,” Jody said. “How all of her thoughts, intentions, support, kindness… how all her little pieces created this thing for me- a giant collage of moments. This life, her force, her support that would be missed.”
Jody’s exhibit kicked off at Nucleus on Sunday. Swing by at 621 Queen Anne Ave N to take a look at some of her work. Also check out her website and Etsy shop.