Gathering inspiration from the sea
- Jeannet’s background as a graphic designer informs her artistic practice
- Her experimental seaweed creations are inspired by coastal Maine
- She learned pleating from a master and is a self-taught coiled vessel maker
The pandemic forced Jeannet Leendertse to move away from creating textile cowls and scarves into a new creative area. She was making all accessories but felt her progress was stalling. “One day, taking a walk along the coast near my home, I had an epiphany. I wondered if a local type of seaweed could be used in fibre art,” she says. Through trial and error, she developed ways to harvest, work with and preserve rockweed. In her decorative pieces, Jeannet coils and stitches it with waxed linen thread to form vessels, while in her 3D wearable objects, she evokes the life rippling under the water. From baskets to pleated accessories, her artworks mirror her surroundings. “I want my work to have a strong connection with the natural environment,” she says. As a native of the Netherlands living in the USA, Jeannet continues to explore nature and a sense of belonging in her work.
INTERVIEW
I want to remind people of the value of our natural world. A lot of people are not aware of seaweed, or consider it a nuisance, that green slippery stuff you have to get over before you get to the water. When people see my work, I hope they look at it differently.
I forage it fresh and keep it cold while I am working so it never decomposes. After it dries, I finish it with a mixture of beeswax and resin.
Growing up, I practised weaving, knitting, crochet and sewing on my grandmother’s machine. I have come completely full circle, doing what I did when I was eight. I learn and develop techniques as I find new ways to approach materials. I aim to bring about fresh, unexpected work.
As a graphic designer I was used to printing on fabric. I started looking for ways to make the fabric more 3D. That led me to study pleating and to explore Shibori stitching on different materials such as wool and silk organza.
