Interview with Mixed Media Artist Jess Webster: Turning Blue Jeans and Wine Corks into Meaningful Art

Mixed Media Artist Jessica Webster

I met Jess at the Wine and Art Festival in La Jolla while I was exhibiting my own coffee art.

She stopped by my booth and mentioned she was drawn to unconventional mediums - and of course, my curiosity kicked in instantly.

When she showed me her mixed media collages, I was stunned.

The textures, the story, the creativity - all of it! I told her right then and there, “You have to show this to the world!”

Since then, we’ve stayed in touch, and I’m so excited to feature her as a guest artist here on the blog. Her work is not only fascinating to look at but full of meaning and heart.

Q: How did your journey into mixed media and recycled art begin?

"While I’ve always created, I first began my journey with collage and mosaic after my husband and I put an addition on our house and we had lots of tile samples lying around.

I used rocks to mosaic a path in my backyard and tiles to decorate a raised planter. I realized I didn’t have to work with traditional materials; anything with color variation can be combined to create an image.

I was kicking around the idea of making something with old blue jeans (maybe I saw something on Pinterest that sparked the idea?)

When I saw a call for artists for a local competition. The theme was “Americana” and there was a mixed media category.

Since there is nothing more American than blue jeans, I decided to go for it.

I settled on an image of the Statue of Liberty, feeling like it made a statement about who gets to be American and how the things we choose to represent us are all rooted in immigration (which was beginning to be a divisive issue in our country).

I got a piece of plywood from Home Depot, glue, and cut up some of my old blue jeans that I’d worn out.

I loved what I’d made. You know that feeling when something turns out even better than you think it will?

I entered my piece and won second place. Personally, I think I was robbed. 😄"

Jeans Art - Mixed Media Art by Jessica Webster

Q: What inspired you to switch from denim art to working with wine corks?

"During the pandemic, I decided to try a different medium - wine corks.

My husband and I enjoy drinking wine together, and I’d been saving the corks for years, waiting for the right inspiration to put them to use.

If you’ve ever looked closely at a cork, it’s fascinating.

They come in a variety of colors, different wines dye the ends different shades of purple, and many have interesting things printed on them.

I ambitiously decided to cut them up and make a tiger."

'Tiger' Mixed Media Art by Jessica Webster

Q: What’s the most unusual reaction you’ve gotten to your art or your materials?

"Since that time I’ve made a handful of other projects. There is something about patterns and piecing together a puzzle that unlocks something in my mind.

It’s the closest thing to meditation I’ve been able to achieve.

Once my friends and family started seeing my work, I started getting donations of materials.

One friend gave me a huge armful of old blue jeans one day. Another gave me a gift bag full of corks from all the wine she’d drunk that year.

I get asked a lot if I drank all the bottles from the corks I use. Technically, no - aside from my friends' donations, I also ask bartenders every time we go out. I know it’s weird, but it’s also effective. 😄"

Rhino made out of cork, Art by Jessica Webster

Q: Can you share a project that’s especially personal or meaningful to you?

"I adore working with found materials. I love the idea that the medium I’m working with had a “past life” and now has a new and unrelated purpose.

I also love the idea of working with items that bear witness to the moments of our lives.

The jeans that you do hard work in, the wine that you drink to either celebrate or mourn an occasion.

I’m currently working on another denim piece made from my dad’s old blue jeans - he passed away a little over a year ago.

I have some ideas for other things I could use for future projects, so stay tuned."

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If Jess’s story inspired you to look at your old art supplies, or your laundry pile 😉 a little differently, you’re not alone.

I love seeing how artists turn everyday materials into something extraordinary, and Jess does it so beautifully.

You can follow her creative adventures and see her latest denim and cork masterpieces on Instagram at @artbyjesswebster, or reach out to her directly at webster.jessica@gmail.com.

And if you enjoy meeting artists like Jess, make sure you’re subscribed to my artist club - I share real stories, inspiration, and tips to grow your own art journey (without the fluff or the boring “art speak”).