Motherhood represents one of the most profound human experiences, and for artist Jordan Sheridan, it has become the very heart of her creative expression. Through her exhibition Interwoven at the Redux Contemporary Art Center, Sheridan transforms both personal and collective ideas of motherhood into tactile, visual, and immersive works of art. Her journey from oil painting into large-scale textile installation reflects not only a shift in medium but also a transformation in perspective, identity, and responsibility. The following article explores the exhibition, the evolution of her practice, and the deeper meaning of her art, while highlighting the central role of maternal experience in shaping her work.
Sheridan’s Artistic Background
- Origin: Sheridan was born in northeastern Arkansas.
- Education: She pursued a master’s degree in Fine Arts at the University of South Carolina.
- Early Work: Initially focused on painting, with her creative voice grounded in traditional two-dimensional work.
- Transformation: The birth of her son, Samuel, in 2017, became the pivotal point that redirected her art practice.
Impact of Motherhood on Sheridan’s Art
- Central Theme: Motherhood became the most important subject matter in Sheridan’s life and work.
- Creative Challenge: She produced nearly 30 paintings in a few months, but felt they did not fully capture the essence of being a mother.
- Shift to Installation: The desire to wrap viewers inside the experience of motherhood inspired her move to textile installations.
- Blurring Boundaries: Her art highlights the merging identities of mother and child, portraying both intimacy and fragmentation.
The Exhibition: Interwoven
- Venue: Redux Contemporary Art Center.
- Dates: March 31 – May 20.
- Media: Oil painting, textile installation, and light-based work.
- Key Installation: The Mother — a crocheted and illuminated structure that transforms the gallery into a maternal environment.
Exhibition Highlights
- Immersive Space: Installations invite viewers into an enveloping atmosphere, echoing maternal protection and expansion.
- Changing Forms: Each installation looks different every time it is hung, symbolizing the evolving nature of motherhood.
- Light and Darkness: Originally intended to focus on light and the ephemeral quality of motherhood, the exhibition shifted toward darker tones following a family tragedy.
Personal Loss and Its Influence
- Tragedy: Sheridan’s nephew, aged 20, passed away shortly before the exhibition.
- Artistic Shift: Paintings moved from soft, light-filled imagery to darker, more violent expressions.
- Motherhood Connection: The caretaker role extended beyond her son to her nephew, reflecting that motherhood is not limited to lightness but includes hardship, grief, and endurance.
Community Engagement Through Workshops
- Event: Free community workshop on April 1.
- Activity: Participants learned to cut and crochet chains from donated fabrics.
- Collaborative Creation: Chains were hung on a wooden frame suspended from the gallery ceiling.
- Inclusive Materials: Attendees were encouraged to bring old T-shirts, towels, or sheets, turning personal items into communal art.
Sheridan’s Studio Practice
- Combination of Forms: Unites painting, sculpture, and installation into one evolving language.
- Labor-Intensive Work: Installation required nearly a year of crocheting six to eight hours each night.
- Parallels to Motherhood: The invisible, repetitive, and never-ending labor of crocheting mirrors the unseen work of caregiving.
- Adaptability: Crochet could be done with her child beside her, merging maternal presence with creative practice.
Themes Reflected in Sheridan’s Work
- Overwhelm and Wonder: Expresses the paradoxical experience of motherhood as both exhausting and enchanting.
- Fragmented Identity: Motherhood often blurs personal identity with the needs of children.
- Ephemeral Quality: Installations capture fleeting moments, emotions, and transformations.
- Evolving Expression: Each exhibition reinterprets motherhood, much like the constantly shifting maternal role.
Sheridan’s Artistic Evolution
| Phase | Focus | Medium | Artistic Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Career | Oil Painting | Traditional canvases | Exploring abstract and expressive mark-making |
| Post-Motherhood | Motherhood Themes | Paintings | Attempting to capture maternal experience |
| Shift to Installation | Textile Art & Crochet | Large-scale, immersive work | Wrapping viewers into maternal space |
| Interwoven Exhibit | Blended Media | Oil, crochet, light | Representing both the lightness and the darkness of motherhood |
Core Themes in Sheridan’s Work
| Theme | Description | Representation in Art |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal Identity | Fluid boundaries between self and child | Fragmented yet interconnected forms |
| Invisible Labor | Endless, repetitive caregiving | Year-long crocheting process |
| Transformation | Constantly shifting experiences | Ever-changing installation appearances |
| Caretaking Beyond Motherhood | Role extends to family and community | Art influenced by nephew’s passing |
Sheridan as an Educator
- Current Role: Full-time instructor at the University of South Carolina since 2021.
- Teaching Focus: Painting courses that emphasize intuition and creative exploration.
- Pedagogical Influence: Her installation approach reflects painterly thinking — layering, blending, and intuitive mark-making.
Interpretation of Interwoven
- Viewer’s Role: The Audience is invited to step into the maternal space, becoming part of the experience rather than passive observers.
- Sensory Impact: Use of textiles, light, and scale creates both comfort and disorientation, echoing motherhood itself.
- Collective Meaning: By incorporating community workshops, Sheridan extends the maternal metaphor into shared creativity and care.
Significance of Sheridan’s Work
- Expanding Maternal Narratives: Challenges traditional portrayals of motherhood as purely nurturing by including struggle and grief.
- Blending Art Forms: Demonstrates how painting, textile, and installation can merge to capture complex human experiences.
- Art as Healing: Provides a medium for processing personal loss while engaging with universal themes.
Future Implications
Art becomes a mirror for lived experience, and Jordan Sheridan’s work demonstrates how profoundly personal journeys can reshape artistic practice. Motherhood for her is not a static role but an ever-changing force that alters identity, expression, and relationships. Through Interwoven, Sheridan turns the gallery into a space of both intimacy and transformation, capturing the paradoxes of maternal love, the invisibility of care work, and the weight of loss. Her installations remind viewers that motherhood, like art, is at once fragile, demanding, evolving, and profoundly beautiful.
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