In the lead up to her first Auckland solo exhibition ‘Hyperbloom’, Jenni Stringleman took some time to answer our questions about her show and remind us that a good facial can do wonders.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your background as an artist. Did you always want to be an artist?
I did always want to be an artist but the desire to have a “proper job” took me in the direction of graphic design which got me into working on a bungy jump, painting murals, graphic design in the heart of London, and finally animation. During that time I did the odd session of life drawing but really never picked up a paintbrush purely for pleasure! Once my youngest daughter was born, I started going to a local art class and remembered why I was so hooked as a school kid. Everything changed!
2. ‘Hyperbloom’ is your first solo show right? How do you feel about that, what are your expectations?
Hyperbloom is my first solo Auckland show, but I’ve had the great good fortune to have two sell-out shows in Dunedin. I typically sell through galleries and have pieces in the occasional fundraiser and group show but once endemicworld opened up the front gallery space, I decided it was the time to get a show in there!
3. What is the idea behind your show ‘Hyperbloom’?
I knew I wanted to have a really vibrant, happy show, then one day when I was forced to lie still in a dark room for 30 minutes while a face mask set, the name came to me. I realise now that I need to get more facials done! I’m never really alone in silence so it was funny how my brain whirled and came up with all these ideas. I knew that I wanted to get a neon sign made to really fit with the theme, then that made me want to explore even more neon brights in my work. So It all links back to that facial!
4. What can people coming to the show expect to see?
More of what they want in a Stringleman original – lots of thick saturated oil paint applied with a palette knife and brayer but with the recent addition of my new favourite find, oil sticks! They are like lipstick made from pure oil pigment. The sketchy nature of oil sticks means I can work my lifetime of experience in life drawing and animation and graphic design back into some of these pieces.
