Fashioned by Nature: Simmons' Unveiling of Captivating Threads

Plants, people, and places find new forms through fashion in an exhibition called "Photographs, Artifacts, and Intimate Works," by Jeanne Simmons at the Jefferson County Historical Society's Museum of Art + History in Port Townsend.

Simmons, celebrated as both a land artist and environmentalist, is a masterful storyteller who weaves captivating narratives using her lens, tangible objects, and intimate creations. Much of the work on display consists of plant material woven into wearable garments, some of which are so ephemeral that they could only be captured for a moment in a photograph. Simmons' work extends beyond traditional photography though to tangible objects and sculptures, each bearing a distinct narrative and emotional depth. As visitors journey through the exhibition, they are greeted by a diverse range of works, each possessing a unique story and source of inspiration.

Visitors to the exhibit are invited to weave fabric and plants into a collaborative installation. / The Evergreen Echo

Something that makes this exhibition truly unique is Simmons' collaboration with local women who share her values. These women serve as more than just models; they are integral parts of the narrative, connecting the art to both the creator and the community.

On opening night, the experience was elevated as some of the models from the photographs walked among the crowd, adorned in pieces that paid homage to the works on display. It was a special treat that brought the art to life, blurring the lines between the gallery space and the lived experiences of those involved.

In “Grass Cocoon” and “Extensions” Simmons worked with her friend Nicole Larson who is a naturalist, educator, basket-maker. That evening, Larson wore a somewhat shorter grass braid extension in her hair calling back to the work on display. When I asked Larson why Simmons chose to work with her for the pieces, Larson told me that not only does she have the patience to lay in the grass with bugs for hours, but that the location of the work itself was bonded to them both.

“That spot where the cocoon is, is a very special spot,” Larson said, noting she often brought her young students there. “Jeanne actually came one day and helped build what looked like a shelter; it was more of an art installation with the kids close to that spot.”

Another artist Simmons worked with for multiple pieces is dancer Katrina Wolfe. The seaweed gown captured in a series of photographs named “Katrina,” was a stand out for me, but on opening night Simmons dressed Wolfe in a garment with fragments of burnt cedar planks from the “Phoenix from the Flames” and “Grief Monument” series.

“Grief Monument” looms large evoking both the beauty of life and the tragedy of loss. The work was created partly in response to Simmons losing her son, Corbin Avery Simmons-Reimnitz. / The Evergreen Echo

For that work, Simmons built a small fire over Wolfe’s heart after encasing her in the cedar planks. “I was warm but I was in there for three hours and I loved it. It’s my favorite of the three pieces,” Wolfe said.

Wolfe’s connection to the various pieces came from her love of extremes, both the cold of the Salish Sea and the heat of fire.

“I do a lot of dance outside in extreme weather and various temperatures. I also meditate a lot. Intense kinds of sensations, physical sensations, I’m really into,” Wolfe said.

When I asked her why she only works with women, Simmons replied, “They are my surrogates. All of these pieces I imagine happening to me first. I want this. I want to wrap myself up in kelp, braid myself in the grass, but I can’t do that to myself and take pictures of that. So I invite these lovely women to do it for me and then I get the satisfaction of having that experience in a slightly removed way. They are me. They’re taking my place.”

As a friend of Simmons put it as they walked by on their way out: “Good to see you, all of you, exposed.”

“But there’s more than that,” Simmons added. “Women are my agents of expression because I feel that the forces that are baring down on the natural world are also the forces that bare down on women and all marginalized groups.”

While the museum has previously brought in artists from far and wide, Simmons is very much a local and the photographs on display were not taken far from the museum itself.

"I’m essentially married to the landscape of this town,” Simmons said. “The fields, the beaches, and the woods of Port Townsend move me, sustain me, and inspire me. That’s really where the work comes from."

“Boots with Roots” seems poised to escape their display. / The Evergreen Echo

The environment created by the show becomes an extension not only of the place or even Simmons, but something more. It breathes with a quiet intensity, leaving patrons on the precipice of an indescribable revelation. One man said he could not explain why, but that he was brought to tears by the piece “Boots With Roots.”

"Photographs, Artifacts, and Intimate Works," runs through June 30 at the Jefferson County Historical Society's Museum of Art + History in Port Townsend. The museum is open Thursdays – Saturdays from 11am to 4pm. You can find more information at jchsmuseum.org.