Customer Showcase: Jennifer Morales Textile Artist -- Meisen Silks
Note about this page:
We like to post on our web site when people have creatively used our vintage Japanese kimono fabrics in their creative work. We saw Jennifer Morales' work using antique meisen fabrics to make purses and realized that she was already a customer. We were so impressed with what we saw on her site, www.moralesobjectdesign.com , that we invited her, asking her to tell us about her work and anything about them she cared to share. Below are both her pictures and a bio / contextual information. Enjoy. Yoko Lewis
Jennifer Morales
Bio: Jennifer Morales Textile Artist
Minimalism has inspired me all my life. Modern home architecture, sleek automobile designs, jewelry, and paintings, especially the ones with simple uncluttered lines, and patterns, have always spoke to me. When I started making things, I tried to connect to those infuences in my own work.
I attended the University of North Texas where I took classes in metal work even though I was pursuing a degree in marketing. As luck would have it, I met my husband and he also shared this same love for design and creating things. We started fabricating jewelry from sterling silver, brass, copper, gold and semi-precious stones. We sold to galleries across the United States and at regional art shows.
While I was raising my two daughters, I transitioned to making things I could do with them, like using the recycled glass we would gather from the shores of Lake Grapevine, along with sterling silver to fabricate my jewelry line. I also composed contemporary designed quilts made from their baby clothes. During the last 15 years, I put my design energies into the complete renovation and restoration of historic mid-century modern homes in Denton, Texas. The demands of ?tting functional design as well as aesthetic considerations together was a new challenge that brought me a lot of knowledge as well as satisfaction.
My most recent compositions were born from a project involving my father in-laws necktie collection. Once I started working with these vintage silks I realized the ideas I had for family gifts was just a starting point. As I learned more about silks, I discovered vintage Meisen textiles used in Japanese kimonos from the 1930’s - 1960’s. Meisen silks are known for their use of contemporary modern design motifs. I use a piecing technique to create one-of-a-kind throw pillows, eyeglass cases, purses, and many other utilitarian items.
Working with my hands makes me whole. As I create new things from pieces that someone else made before me, I feel like I’m helping to preserve and honor the work that went into that original creation but in a new and repurposed way that maintains the original beauty in a new form through my vision.
Jennifer Morales
Morales Object Design