Jenny's Profile

Jenny Hill – Mixed Media & Textile Artist   
Locharburn Studio, Central Otago

Her Journey 

A self-taught artist, Jenny’s journey with art began in 2003 when she undertook study at The Western Institute of Technology of Taranaki to explore colour theory, textile techniques, painting, drawing, design, photography and design. Here she unearthed a passion for free machine embroidery and honed her ability to draw by stitching leading her into the exploration of collage materials and combining the two. 

In 2007, after frequent visits to the area, Jenny and Chris relocated to Central Otago to pursue their combined dream of a new lifestyle; a vineyard for Chris and an art studio for Jenny. Naturally inspired by her surroundings, Jenny takes great inspiration from the ever-changing landscape that frames the Locharburn Vineyard and Locharburn Studio, their home in the Cromwell Basin.

Textiles
While delving into this exciting new world of textiles, Jenny discovered free machine embroidery and her ability to draw and create with the use of stitch. Combining this with her interest in photography, she also discovered her
talent for manipulating photos and expanded this to the printing of her digital images onto fabric to create some
fabulous pieces which communicated her ideas in a very textural and colourful way.

“The self-made tapestry of patterns formed in nature, the visual and microscopic life, inspires me. I want to expose a different view by enhancing the details of texture, line, pattern, and colour. With these I strive to create imagery that highlights the unnoticed form,” says Jenny.

Collage
A vital part of my creative process is de-constructing the materials and reconstructing these into layers resulting in a whole new story. The collages are created with inspiring photos, papers, paint and sometimes wax.

Encaustic Painting

The word “encaustic” is from the Greek meaning “to burn in” and refers to the process of fusing the paint, it is ancient technique using a layering of beeswax mixed with damar resin and pigments fused together with a flame or heat source

Jenny’s Inspiration
“The more you work, the more you learn, the more you imagine,
the more you create, the more you know your own voice.”
These words by Kathyanne White inspire Jenny as she continues her journey to express the way she sees the world and its mysteries in mixed media.


Textures of Locharburn

The Jenny Hill art work that appears on the Locharburn wine label was inspired by their beautiful Locharburn vineyard environment where she lives and works with her husband, Chris – living their dream.
“I tried to capture the grandeur of our stunning natural surroundings here in the Cromwell Basin of Central Otago – on a panoramic as well as intimate scale – wanting to communicate the wonderfully warm autumn colours and our love of our land and home,” says Jenny. “The vibrant warmth of the reds and yellows contrasts to the solidness of the schist and the vastness and solitude of the surrounding mountains. Like our Locharburn wines, this work is an expression of our terroir and the passion that compelled us to move here and settle to live our dream.”
Jenny’s mixed media work, Textures of Locharburn, was crafted and executed in acrylic paint and various mediums of schist, sand, vine leaves and tissue paper on canvas to deliver this beautiful, vibrant piece so true to Jenny & Chris’ inspiration.