For local artist Jennifer Noda, art is so much more than something she does or makes. It is a way of living, a tribute to her late parents, a form of personal therapy and now a full-time pursuit.
Noda’s creative background is in dance and choreography. Injuries led her to look for alternative ways to be creative that were not so taxing on her body, but her dance background is still reflected in her current projects.
“My experience with the moving body has informed my current work in terms of line and balance, and most importantly the practice of an experimental process. I enjoy experimentation in all forms of art and I try to push myself to use limits as a tool in creating,” Noda described.
One of those experiments led her to making jewelry and pens using paper, primarily magazines. Noda was intrigued by the concept of wood turning, which is the process of using hand tools to cut and shape wood as it rotates on a lathe. At the same time, she also wanted to use materials that were recycled or upcycled and have a positive effect on the environment. Wade even accepts commissions from those who have a special magazine they would like her to use.
“A lot of people use exotic woods because they have a beautiful grain and they are interesting to look at but it’s not the best thing for our sustainability,” explained Noda.
Through trial and error, Noda figured out the best way to use the wood turning machine to twist and wrap paper to create a pattern that is then sanded down and coated. For example, the rings that Noda creates are made using a stainless steel core and the paper is wrapped around it using the machine. Noda says her go-to magazine is National Geographic because the bright colors lend themselves to layering and creating one-of-a-kind designs.
The environment is so important to Noda because nature is what inspires her work.
“The main inspiration for my work comes from Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese term meaning ‘forest bathing’, or taking in the forest atmosphere for health and wellness benefits. The experience of being in nature is truly at the heart of my creative process. It helps me find inspiration both in the physical form and also as a tool to process my ideas as they come to mind,” said Noda. “It puts me into a state of well-being where I am at my most creative,” she added.
Some of Noda’s favorite local spots for inspiration are Loftridge Park, which is close to her home, and Shenandoah National Park when she can get away.
Shinrin-Yoku has extra meaning for Noda who has Japanese ancestry through her father, who was a landscape architect and artist.
“On my birthday he would always make me a special card with an ink sketch on the front and beautiful calligraphy inside. There was a lot of Japanese art in the house which was brought back from Japan by my Aunt Helen who loved to travel and visit our relatives. I can definitely see the influence of these works in my calligraphy collages,” Noda explained.
Noda’s father passed away 10 years ago, and she lost her mother during the COVID-19 pandemic; her mother struggled for 27 years living with the aftermath of a stroke when she was only 50 years old. Noda says her art work has been a way to process her grief and some of the difficult experiences surrounding their deaths. She wishes her parents were around to see her to finally focus on herself and her art.
Although Noda enjoys living in Alexandria for the sunshine, green space and nearby hiking and camping opportunities, she describes herself as a “hardcore New Yorker.” Following 9/11 Noda and many of her friends began to reconsider where they wanted to live and she ultimately ended up living around Europe and then Chicago. She met her husband in Chicago and they moved to Alexandria eight years ago to be closer to his family.
Noda’s husband is an art teacher and she says he and her step-child have been wonderful collaborators for some of her art. They also recently welcomed a puppy into their family.
Noda has a studio in the Torpedo Art Factory which she started last year. She says that the community there has been very supportive. In addition to the jewelry and pens, she is also working on sculpting porcelain and reflective shadowboxes. When asked what her favorite thing to make is, Noda answered like a true creative, saying “the thing I’m working on right now.”
Noda is looking forward to what the future holds now that she has decided to focus on her art full-time.
“I really love making the jewelry and the pens. That is something that I want to continue doing but alongside that I want to be creating more 3-dimensional work. I think ultimately I’d like to be known as a 3-dimensional, multi-media artist rather than only jewelry,” Noda said.
She has recently started creating a shadow box series which was inspired by family camping trips during the COVID-19 pandemic. "One evening I was in my tent gazing up towards the sky. There was a slight breeze and I could see the shadows of tree branches moving in the moonlight. It was mesmerizing and the tent’s canopy became a kind of movie screen.The bamboo shadowboxes contain several reflective layers. As the viewer moves about the room, the design is always different as the reflection picks up light, colors, and shadows from the surroundings. This reminds me somewhat of a theatrical setting during my dance career. In this case, it is the audience providing the movement for the work," Noda said describing her work.
Order one of Noda’s unique pens or jewelry through Made in ALX and be sure to stop by studio 307 in the Torpedo Art Factory to check out the rest of her artwork.
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July 02, 2021 at 06:49PM
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Heritage and Nature Inspire Artist Jennifer Noda - Alexandria Living Magazine
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