Meet Jenny Wilde of Jenny Wilde Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Wilde.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jenny. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I create because that is what has always been in my head to do – as a way to process pain and express joy, a way to investigate myself and the world, a way through daily anxieties and depression, a way to find and share beauty in unexpected places. Creating is natural and necessary for me. The things I create have taken many forms over the years, including the written word, visual and functional art. I completed my MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston in 2004.

Photography has remained a long-standing passion since I learned to develop film in the darkroom while in high school in England. In 2013, recently having extricated myself from a long and complex marriage that consumed me from the time I was 17, I turned more fully to visual art in order to express emotions that often defied words. I started sharing my work with a larger artistic community and showing at local art markets.

Later I showed at several galleries as well. I became involved with Hardy and Nance Studios through an ArtCrawl event held there, then began to show in their gallery on a regular basis. This led me to move into a studio space at Hardy and Nance in 2016, with fellow Houston photographer Kenneth Hudson. At that time, my work was evolving from straight photography to photographic mixed media, so we complemented each other quite well.

These days I am focused on using various mixed media processes to add texture, emotion, and a sense of history to my photographs. I transfer photographs onto substrates such as wood and canvas, then embellish with layers of paint and stain, paper, and found objects to create a final image that tells a story larger than the original photograph itself. My work is made with mostly recycled materials, often antique boards or windows that have been rescued from places where past generations once lived and worked.

The marks of memory on these materials provide a sense of connection between my photographic subjects and a deeper context. Each piece develops organically as a blend between the original photograph and the chosen base material, accented with various layers of painted media until the final effect is achieved. I approach the work with a scavenger aesthetic. It is the accumulation of moments that make us feel alive. In art, as in life, there are no extra things.

Has it been a smooth road?
I suppose most things worth doing don’t come without a fair amount of struggle, and running an art business is certainly no exception. The biggest obstacle I have encountered is financial in nature. The starving artist cliche exists for a reason, no doubt.

I would love to live a full-time creative life, and I have managed it for periods of time, but mostly I have had to rely on the notorious “day job” to pay the bills. Art is generally considered a luxury, not a necessity, which means that people’s willingness to spend their hard earned money on art they love is subject to a variety of external factors. The art business can, therefore, be a wickedly fickle mistress when it comes to the bottom line.

I have tried to address this by diversifying my offerings, but this can lead to being spread too thin without a central creative focus. It is a delicate balance, and compromise is required. For now, this means that the income from the day job gives me the freedom to create only what I want rather than what I think is most likely to sell.

It is sometimes difficult to be taken seriously as an artist. There are people who think that if you have a day job, you cannot be a true artist. Others can’t see creating as a “real” job at all, but simply a nice hobby taken too far.

Then there are the internal struggles. Hours alone inside your own head, staring at a blank canvas or page, questioning your skills and motivations, wondering if you’ll ever be good enough. The burning desire to express and communicate some small element of the human condition, coupled with the anxiety that you are not possibly up to the enormity of the task. I have worked hard to prevent these internal struggles from becoming isolating, to allow them to drive me forward rather than hold me back.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Overall I am known for my creative vision. I see things in a way many others do not, and people have told me that the way they see the world changes after becoming acquainted with my art. I suppose this is about the highest compliment one can receive as an artist. I believe my vision also provides a sense of unity to my work and allows me to experiment with materials, technique and form while still maintaining a cohesive output.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I have been in Houston for over 20 years, and during that time I have seen huge steps forward as far as the creative scene here. The city has always had a very diverse population; now I feel this diversity reflected more clearly in the cultural landscape. The last few years have seen an explosion in options and opportunities in things like food, art, design, theater, and music, as well as an increased appreciation of the history here.

I think Houston has become a great place to be creative. Of course, I would always encourage everyone to buy more art! The vision and expression of the artist can only thrive with the support of the community, and we often don’t realize how much we will miss such vision until we try to imagine living without it.

Contact Info:

• Address: 902 Hardy Street Houston, TX 77020
• Website: https://www.jennywilde.com
• Phone: 832-722-7148
• Email: jenny@jennywilde.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennywildephoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JennyWildePhotography
• Other: https://www.deviantart.com/greystarlight

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.