I’ve neglected this series a little, but I am always making notes of female artists that I want to chat with. Jenny Williams has been on my radar for some time now. Jenny is a Brooklyn based artist with a BFA from Cooper Union. Jenny documents her daughter’s fashion choices in a sketchbook. Her daughter (and her friends) have some pretty rad style, too! What I love the most about her work is that isn’t contrived or forced. It is casual and relatable and doesn’t feel out of touch.
When did you start creating?
Since I could pick up a pencil! I’ve always loved to draw.
What does “Art” mean to you?
My favorite art gets me in the heart more than the head.
What is your medium of choice?
For What My Daughter Wore, colored pencil. I also paint.
Has motherhood altered your creative process? If so, in what ways?
Absolutely. I’ve been a stay at home mom, so when my kids were young, opportunities that once existed for large blocks of time to make art were limited. I would always carry my sketchbook around and draw when I got the chance, using the inspiration at hand, which was mostly the kids.
What do you do when you encounter a creative block?
I almost feel like I don’t have the luxury to be creatively blocked, my time in the studio is so precious. But it happens. In terms of What My Daughter Wore, happily the inspiration is always all around me. When it comes to other projects, I’ll put them aside, and spend some time drawing from life or reading or looking at art that I love.
If you could give creative mothers any piece of advice, what would that be?
You aren’t going to get as much of your own creative work done as you did when you didn’t have kids – don’t even try. But don’t let it completely leave your life. Find ways to work it in, even small ones. This also gets a lot easier as the kids get older, which happens so much faster than you think it will.
Do you involve your daughter in your creative process?
Clementine is absolutely my muse, but she is an artist herself and likes to preserve a separate identity as such. She has staked out a corner of my studio and we often work in tandem if not collaboratively.