Noelani Jones
Artist Statement:
Being born and raised on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i, has shaped me and my art making in a number of ways. Being surrounded by such a beautiful eco-system has made me very aware of my impact on the planet as well as my footprint as a weaver. By accessing my kuleana, a Hawai’ian value of responsibility to the land, I aim for a continual practice by ethically foraging natural materials from the land for dye, slowly weaving natural fibers by hand one thread at a time, and re-using all scrap yarn. I am a community-building Fiber Artist passionate about strengthening communities and individuals with art and an appreciation for the natural world. My work is concerned with creating purpose and community by restoring our relationship with the land through craft.
Artist Bio:
Born and raised on the island of O’ahu, Noelani Jones (she/her) is the “Weaver Beaver,” a play on words addressing the history of weaving, in the Western world, being considered “woman’s work.” There is merit to following in the footsteps of those who came before us and keeping the craft alive and remembered. Jones graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017 with her BFA in Craft and Material Studies and a concentration in Fibers. She is a community-building Fiber Artist passionate about strengthening communities and individuals with art and an appreciation for the natural world.
Her work has been shown at the Anderson Gallery, Studio Two Three, Gallery 5, and the Rump Gallery of Richmond, VA, Terrain Exhibitions and CNL Projects of Chicago, IL and beyond, the Center for Visual Artists of Greeensboro, NC, and the Cake Stand of Farmingdale, ME. Since 2019, Jones has attended Penland School of Craft and been an artist-in-residence at Lazuli Residency of Corinth, VT, and the Shelter Residency of Overland Artworks.
Currently, Jones lives in western Maryland at Foxflower Wood Farm working as a weaver in her Weaver Beaver studio practice and as the Weaving Teacher at Lovelyarns in Baltimore, MD.
There’s No Place Like Home, Handwoven and naturally dyed fiber, 2020