JESSICA VOLLRATH: ON THE CONTINUUM
Jessica Vollrath (née McClendon) received her MFA in 2017 from Texas Woman’s University and her BFA, graduating suma cum laude from Howard University. Her work is currently on display at Fort Work Art in her first major solo exhibition, Self Timer (on display until Dec. 8th). McClendon has been featured all over DFW, in galleries like 500X Gallery, Art Room, Creative Arts Center, Museum of Biblical Arts, as well as TWU Galleries. She has also been a resident artist at Tech Wildcatters at Alto 211 in Downtown Dallas and Woodsong Institute of Art and the recipient of multiple scholarships and Best of Show awards in juried competitions.
EXHIBITION DATES: April 23, 2022–March 26, 2021
Vollrath’s new body of work consisting primarily of images of Magna tiles, the magnetic building toys used by kids to play and learn geometry, brings both a playful and an isolating feeling to the viewer. Referencing the changes in her life that she has experienced since becoming a mother and working at home through the pandemic, Vollrath turns the simple and mundane into something relevant and iconic. She reminds us, that by being both caretakers of children as well as being our own individuals, we are all interconnected in ways we often don’t recognize.
Taking such a basic every day item, Vollrath endeavors to unite individuals together that might otherwise feel disconnected. These symbols translate across the ideologies and definitions of self that we all carry. They bring us together, even during times of intense division, isolation and loneliness, similar to what we have experienced throughout this current chapter in our history.Vollrath is known for her highly painterly figurative works, where the surface texture, the imagery, and the commentary are all equally important elements in the work. In the last year, she has shifted away from these highly realistic figurative works.