Submitted by Max Himsl
After the narrow escape last week, a somewhat more sedate interview seemed advisable. Accordingly, I sought out Jaynie Himsl, an avant-garde artist cleverly disguised as an ordinary suburban woman. One naturally expects real, proper artists to be bizarre of appearance and outrageous of behavior.
One naturally expects a proper artist to be a painter, photographer or sculptor. Ms. Himsl, a person that while indistinguishable from any other big-box store or fast food restaurant patron, unnaturally subverts the age-old craft of quilting, taking it from a useful and attractive bed covering to strange and functionless wall hanging.
To explore this wanton disregard for our traditional crafting heritage I met with Jaynie in her nondescript midtown home.
What a difference a change of perspective makes. If the outside was plain the inside was very descript indeed. Every surface piled high with bales, boxes, bundles and bags of cloth so that only a narrow winding claustrophobic passage snaked from the front door to her workspace. There, on a slab, sits a strange machine, possibly of alien manufacture, sprouting arms tipped with needles and blades and emitting that special hum of high amperage electricity. It stirs restlessly as we approach and its’ scissor arm lunges and the blades buzz and blur.
“Down boy, down,” she orders firmly. “Sit!” The machine settles, but I can see its’ needle flexing restlessly as its’ eye follows me. “These new sewing machines are wonderful,” she said. “They practically think for themselves.”
Any furniture that might be in the room is most likely being fossilized under the weight of fabric covering it and so we settle onto heaps of loose cloth on the floor to talk, taking care to remain out of reach of the sewing machine. After the formalities inquiring after health and grandchildren are attended to, I pose my first question. “Tell me, Jaynie, who is your target audience?”
She sighs. “Mostly women. That’s not my aim but until I can incorporate compulsive cursing and televised sports into my work I think it will remain that way.”
“What is your favourite subject matter?”
“I enjoy landscapes and nature, and I especially like looking down on the world. I noticed one day that the leaves I was crushing underfoot looked like the ground from an airplane. I started making funny pictures of leaves and giving the veins funny street names and, well, women like them anyway.”
“When do you show it?”
“Immediately, as soon as it is done. I’m so excited to show my newest work that I take selfies with my work and post it on Facebook and Instagram and ask everyone to re-post, like and share and who knows? Maybe some cute guy will see it. Anyway, I mean sure, some of my work has been juried into national and international exhibitions, but you know if you can get a picture to go viral on the web? Well! I have tried selling my work at a biker rally, a fishing derby and a poker night but the responses were not very positive at all. Now I just bring my stuff out for Art Farm and that’s the only time I show it all at once.”
“Where do you talk about it?”
“Where ever anyone seems interested. Mostly I talk to other people that have an interest in sewing, which usually means women. I try to talk to a lot of men, especially young, cute ones, about it but, well, there mostly just aren’t that many at quilt shows or in the on-line quilting groups.”
“Why do you keep doing it?”
“It’s fun. I enjoy the pleasure of the hunt, knowing that if I have the right bait I will finally find that cute strong guy that will fall in love with me..m..mm..my artwork. Seriously. I’m always trying to make the perfect piece for that perfect guy. I’m close, I know it.”
Art Farm V will be held on Saturday, June 10 at the van der Breggen farm from noon until 7 p.m. Admission is $4, with children ages six and under free.
