Featured Artist Interview: Jordan Graves
The Patternbase is proud to announce another installment of our series of artist and designer interviews! The installments throughout the holiday season are focused on a variety of voices, from young and up-and-coming, to more seasoned designers with valuable knowledge of the industry.
Repeat Offfender is the multidisciplinary and collaborative multi-medium work of Jordan Graves of Savannah, Georgia. From Atlanta, she moved to Savannah to pursue her BFA in Motion Media Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Jordan’s work is an example of a very contemporary aesthetic - digitally altered florals, geometrics, and organic shapes. Her work is also inspired by, and has possibilities in, being interactive apparel instead of just prints. Taken from her biography, "Jordan loves exploring visual rhythms in time-based and static work. During her time as a student at SCAD, Jordan was drawn to the avant-garde history of motion graphics, working with alternative techniques like glitch and projection. During her senior year, her curiosity to explore other avenues besides commercial motion graphics prompted her to take a few electives in Fibers. From there she discovered her passion for textile design, while still holding on to her digital roots."
PB: Please explain a little bit of your background. How did you come into pattern and repeat design?
JG: I studied motion graphics at the Savannah College of Art and Design, but was always drawn to the Fibers program. I finally allowed myself to take an elective during the beginning of my senior year, and from then I was in love with surface design. Looking back, this wasn’t a surprise since I had always surrounded myself with pattern and embellishment.
PB: What is your work like? What is the concept and aesthetic behind your work?
JG: My work is generally of the New Aesthetic, bringing the digital into the physical world. This phenomenon is the increasing appearance of pixelation, glitches artifacts, and low-polygon objects.
PB: What is your work inspired by?
JG: My work is inspired by the avant-garde history of motion graphics in visual music. The exploration of synaesthesia and synchronization of abstract visuals to sound throughout the 20th century greatly influenced my work and quickly became my primary interest, rather than commercial motion graphics.
PB: What does a day in your studio look like?
JG: I can spend an entire day in front of a computer screen and always be inspired. My tools of choice are Adobe After Effects and Maxon Cinema 4D, and I’ll always have Photoshop and Illustrator up too. Keeping me energized is my playlist from The Hype Machine.
PB: How do you support yourself as an artist?
JG: I currently am the Admission Representative for the School of Design and School of Fashion for the Savannah College of Art and Design. Having a steady income allows me to take more risks with my work and give myself plenty of time to experiment.
PB: How do you want your motion and repeat work to be applied? What is the perfect way for it to be presented?
JG: Right now, surface design in motion graphics is most easily presented with projection, in terms of scale and resolution. If I wasn’t limited by technology I’d love to do a large scale installation with woven or knit LED rope, so the patterns would actually be a part of the structure, not just on the surface. For static surfaces, I personally think my prints are more suited for the fashion industry, specifically women, junior, and activewear markets.
PB: What are some mediums and materials you’re obsessed with right now? What are some colors?
JG: Pixels. I’m in love with everything digital and exploring light and data as objects to physically manipulate. I don’t have a favorite color, but I noticed lately I’ve been defaulting to a green, blue, red-orange split complementary color scheme. I’ve also been obsessed with 3D Printing, which inspired me to design jewelry with motifs from my patterns. They are available through Shapeways (www.shapeways.com/shops/repeatofffender) and also on my website.
PB: Who are some artists and designers whose work inspires you?
PB: Your work has a futuristic quality with its use of other medias. How do you see this fit into the future of textile and surface design? Are you inspired by that image of the future?
JG: There is lot going on with smart fabrics and wearable computing, but I’m concerned that some people consider it a fad. While an article on Stylesight might refer to digitally distorted florals as a trend for next Fall, I hope to elevate this look as a lasting technique. I consider this my medium, just as others prefer using watercolor or ink. Like stripes or plaid, I’m hoping to have a hand in possibly establishing a new staple in surface design.
PB: Are you inspired by the bridging of all mediums and medias into textile design? How has this opened creative doors for you?
JG: I’ve had a lot of positive reception of my work in the last year. I’m looking forward to new opportunities and have been doing a lot of research on adding more interactivity into my surface design work!
PB: What are your career directions? How do you want your work to be presented in the future?
JG: I’m hoping to build a strong brand around my style of patterns. I enjoy all stages of the creative process from the development of products to the marketing.
For more of Jordan’s work, go to www.repeatofffender.com and take a look at her jewelry at www.repeatofffender.com/jewelry/.