19 Living Sculptures Of Human Bodies Interweaved With Nature By Jeanne Simmons

Born and raised in coastal New Hampshire alongside her four “semi-feral siblings”, Jeanne Simmons grew up exploring neighbouring marshlands, woods and the Atlantic coastlines. She currently resides in Port Townsend, Washington with her artist husband, two kids and their three rescue dogs, with whom she loves to go on daily walks exploring the seascapes and landscapes that inspire her photography. 

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Simmons further expostulated, “Sometimes I create the necessary sculptural components for a project in my studio, and transport them to my site on the day of the shoot. Other times I forage onsite, and create and document the piece all in one day, building the piece directly on my model’s body. Once my models are situated and wearing whatever accoutrements I have created for them, the photographic part of the project happens. There are, of course, an abundance of variables to manage when preparing for a shoot outside, sometimes requiring me to study the tides, the location of the sun, the weather, etc., all of which add to the fun and feeling of engagement that I love so well.”

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Simmons began experimenting with her unique sculptures back in 2018. She explained, “I’ve been identifying as an artist since the early 90s when I graduated from art school as a sculpture major. During those early creative years, I was focused on creating three-dimensional objects, out of a wide variety of materials, that were very personal. I began creating my series of photographic projects more recently, beginning in 2018. I have been preoccupied with this way of working ever since.”

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Elaborating further on the influences behind this particular art form, the Main College of Art graduate revealed, “My current work is, in large part, a response to my anxiety about climate change. In 2018, when we began experiencing the effects of regional forest fires here in the Pacific Northwest, I realised that climate change was not a distant threat, but that it was happening in real time. I kind of panicked. My time in nature became more and more sacred to me. I desperately wanted to express my feelings about the natural world and my belief that we humans are part of its fabric. And then Grass Cocoon happened. What came of it was life-changing. Grass Cocoon set me on a trajectory of exploring my relationship with the natural world, expressing my reverence for it, and affirming my connection to it. I developed an ephemeral approach that involved integrating my models into the landscape, adorning them with sculptural elements, and capturing the moment through photography.”

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Simmons’ work is published in various journals, national and international magazines, and her art has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the Pacific Northwest. She is currently focused on preparing for a show at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Scottsdale, AZ, and is working on a film about her work with filmmaker Ward Serrill (Heart of the Game, The Bowmakers, Dancing with the Dead).