Handmade Portraits: Dr. Kennedy Jones

drkennedyjones

Story by drkennedyjones

Published on Nov 09, 2010 in Watch

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One day Hollie Chastain was looking through an antique prescription ledger from the 1880s. As she thumbed through the pages she stumbled upon a list of measurements and, in a corner, the signature of “Dr. Kennedy Jones.” The marking soon became a tattoo and, eventually, her alias. 

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Hollie lives in the town of Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband, their two children and dogs. From her mother, a first grade teacher, Hollie inherited her love of reading. As a child her favorite place to be was in a laundry basket surrounded by books. Her passion for the written word never quelled as she obsessed over the smell, texture, and crinkled pages. To Hollie, old books are like treasure chests, reflecting the lives of owners past. She now uses these books for her art, inspired by their colors, pictures, age, and soul.

DKJ-09.jpgShe makes collage art, a complex form of expression that many experience as early as kindergarten. Hollie doesn’t wish to take herself too seriously, but it is truly an art form that requires concentrated labor and reflection. She spends long days at her desk in a meditative process of cutting, layering, cutting, and layering.

When asked where her inspiration comes from, Hollie says that she enjoys seeing people at their happiest, and that she only endeavors to capture these moments. For Hollie, these moments can be felt when attending a concert. As she turns to look at the sea of people, she revels at the power of strangers uniting through a common experience.

All of Hollie’s work is created at home. The strains from the radio provide a direction, feel, or vision for each piece. The band Radiohead has made a huge impression on her creative life (Hollie has seen them twenty times). A harmony of shapes and colors — a sense of musicality — emerges from her pieces. Her characters are often involved in an abstract action or moment that’s like a familiar memory. Déjà vu.

DKJ-still09.jpgFar from a narrowing of a vision, Hollie tries to leave her art as open as possible to allow viewers the freedom to create their own interpretations. She strongly believes that every person has a creative potential and she hopes that her art may trigger energy in other aspiring, would-be artists.

Hollie is still carrying on the prescriptions of Dr. Kennedy Jones. She continues to refine her formula on a daily basis.

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Collage Category | Mixed Media Category

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