About Jennifer

Jennifer McBrien, navigates the realm of embroidery with a skilled hand, intertwining freehand machine and hand stitching to create evocative portrayals of women, birds, and hybrid figures. Often featuring female bodies with bird heads, McBrien's compositions transcend traditional representations and delve into complex themes of femininity, liberation, and connection with nature. By incorporating the Toile pattern into her textile works, McBrien explores the historical and cultural… more
"The Genealogy of My Imaginary Family"..Birdland and the Anthropocene and Beyond, 2017- 2023
In 2017, I expanded my repertoire of sewn bird portraits into a larger family, forming the ancestral figures in my piece titled "The Genealogy of My Imaginary Family." This composition was created specifically for the "Birdland and Anthropocene" exhibit at the Peale Museum, where it filled a prominent display case.
Comprising 13 freehand machine-stitched bird portraits, ranging from 3" to 14" in size, the canvas-stretched circular hooped birds collectively resembled a genealogy tree reflecting diverse human personalities. The selection of native birds, spanning from the familiar to extirpated breeds in Maryland, aimed to evoke a sense of familial connection. The arrangement of these portraits tells a nuanced narrative through subtle expressive reactions and silent dialogue, akin to family portraits.
Each bird portrait was meticulously crafted using freehand machine stitching, a method of manipulating the canvas under the moving needle to draw every mark, value, and detail. The labor-intensive process resulted in line drawings that served as a dedicated homage to the preservation of these avian species.
Since the creation of this piece, my "family" of bird portraits has continued to evolve. The portraits vary in shape and size, from ruff to helmeted guineafowl, and from profiles to full-body representations. The transition from black thread to a spectrum of colors adds depth and vibrancy to the ongoing series. In 2023, I introduced these bird portraits as collaborators within scenes found in toile fabrics, further expanding the narrative and visual richness of my evolving avian family.
Check out the show here for the Birdland and the Anthropocene catalogue
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IMG_8657.jpeg
Freehand machine stitched green kingfisher appliquéd and stitched onto toile decor fabric. Stretched in a 14" embroidery hoop.
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gallery viewGallery view of the Installation in the Peale Centre . Piece was arranged and installed in the white case. Photo by Joe Hyde.
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the genealogy of my imaginary familyFreehand machine stitched bird portraits on canvas, ranging in sizes 14" to 3", stretched in embroidery hoops. Arranged to represent or mock a human family ancestor tree. 2017
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Burrow Owl
"Burrow Owl" , 10" Embroidery Hoop, Freehand Machine Embroidery
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Freehand Machine Drawing of European StarlingFreehand Machine Drawing of European Starling on my long arm quilting machine, 2019
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Starling
"Starling" , 12" Embroidery Hoop, Freehand Machine Embroidery
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Ruff
"Ruff" , 14" Embroidery Hoop, Freehand Machine Embroidery
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Broad Billed Hummingbird , 2020This Broad-billed Hummingbird is one of the newest and the first full-color bird portraits of my bird portrait series. This one is more than a portrait that emphasizes his full and brave body! !This drawing is based on a photograph from a bird app. on my iPad. This bird is created completely with thread, layering colors to create the form of the bird. This bird portrait has been created by freehand stitching on a sewing machine! Otherwise, I draw with my sewing machine. There is absolutely no programming involved. I draw each portrait first as an ink drawing and use that to trace guidelines of the image on the canvas using a fabric marker that fades or washes away. Even though I may use the same drawing per bird, each becomes an of a kind due to the process that I use. Stitched in black on heavy duty cotton duck canvas fabric and is stretched in a 14".
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Pigeon Gets Held Up, 2023
Freehand machine stitched band tail pigeon on toile decor fabric, stretched on a 14" embroidery hoop.
Not for the Shooting Gallery
Parks invites us to consider how our city’s architecture and the built environment impact the natural ecosystems in the Anthropocene, the new geological era in which human activity has dramatically altered the Earth through climate change and other influences.
Some of the artists in the show examine ornithology, the scientific study of birds—some play with the methods involved. How do we use the technological advances we’ve made at a cost to the natural world in order to save it? How do we imitate birds and what does it reveal about our perception of them? How does extinction disclose domination and exploitation in political systems? How are birds as symbols used in these narratives?"
In Not for the Shooting Gallery, I created stuffed birds to be somewhat of a hybrid of the stuffed animals (like the ones you win when winning a game at a carnival) with a stuffed replica. Subjects were selected by either their popularity or their un-popularity. Made of wool blend felt, recycled poly filled stuffing and freehand machine stitched detailed and wire feet. I arranged them in the cabinet as a diorama to give it more of a mobile theater setting. My objective for both this project , as well as the Genealogy of My Imaginary Family, was to humanize each bird. Give them a personality that feels just as human as bird-like. A straight look in their eyes and you must take them to heart.
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Installation ViewView of The Shooting Gallery installation, Bird and Anthropocene Exhibit at the Peale Museum, October 2017, Baltimore, MD. Photo by Joseph Hyde
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Not for the Shooting GalleryClose up shot of entire installation. The Peale Center, Baltimore, MD 2017
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PeacockConstructed with felt, wire and thread drawn details, stuffed with recycled polyfill.
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OwlConstructed with felt, cut feathers and thread drawn details, stuffed with recycled polyfill.
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PigeonPigeon constructed with felt , thread drawn details, stuffed with recycled polyfill and wire legs and feet.
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Eared GrebeConstructed with felt, cut feathers and thread drawn details, stuffed with recycled polyfill.
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CardinalsConstructed with felt, cut feathers and thread drawn details, stuffed with recycled polyfill.
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Clack Capped SparrowsConstructed with felt, cut feathers and thread drawn details, stuffed with recycled polyfill.
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PuffinConstructed with felt, cut feathers and thread drawn details, stuffed with recycled polyfill.
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Boxed for InstallationBoxed up and in transit to the Peale Museum Box contains all birds that were installed and part of "Not for the Shooting Gallery".
Plant Drawing and Stitching
A series drawings of plants found in native and planned gardens in the UK as well as the US. These are my ink drawings from observations that I use for my freehand machine stitched drawings on felt. I started to use these as part of my bird women pieces and pillows, decor pillows, wall pieces and accessories. I am currently working on a new series of accessories ( zipper and eye glass cases) that feature medicinal and symbolic plants and herbs that are beneficial to our planet as well as ourselves.
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FeverfewSketch from Chelsea Physic Garden, London, UK
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HibiscusInk sketch from observation at the Chelsea Physic garden in London.
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Plant sketches from observationInk sketch from observation at the Chelsea Physic garden in London.
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Sea Holly sketchInk sketch from observation in the landscape at Suffolk, UK.
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seeds from the UKInk Sketch from seed and seed pods collected from the woods in the UK
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Hibiscus PoucesFreehand machine hibiscus plants on plants sewn on handmade zipper and eye glass cases.
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Freehand machine Stitched seeds and pollinatorsFreehand machine Stitched seeds and pollinators on felt
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sketchbook viewview off one of my sketchbook spreads from drawing in Suffolk, UK
Bird Drawings with Function
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pp3vz8TXTDub1cMRolQTDQ.jpgFreehand machine owl decor pillow.
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IMG_6703.jpgFreehand machine owl on lined paper fabric, decor pillow.
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fullsizeoutput_148d.jpegFreehand machine fish Crowl on bark pattern fabric, decor pillow.
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Tree Swallow and Screech Owl Tote BagsFreehand Machine Stitched birds on cotton, appliqué and reinforced stitched onto hand made tote made of recycled curtain material and decor fabric.
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JennyJen42 TeaserVideo FinalVideo promoting my jennyjen42 business with demonstration of freehand machine drawing.Video by Ryan Twentey , music by Ryley Walker.
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(jennyjen42)2.jpgMessenger bags, made completely by me. Freehand machine stitched birds on decor fabric and up cycled curtain fabric, cotton lined, with stiff interfacing for durability and numerous interior pockets.
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Baltimore Oriole PillowFreehand Machine stitched oriole and tree with branch. Decor cotton handmade pillow form.
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Bird Scene WallhangingFreehand Machine stitched trees and birds on cotton.
Pussy Bites Back
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Trump and Friends catnip toysTrump and Friends catnip toys made of freehand machine stitch detailed felt figured stuffed wiwth polyfill and catnip. toys include Trump, Betsy DEvos, Moscow Mitch and Shirtless Putin.
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Trump and Friends VooDOO DollsTrump and Friends VooDOO Dolls , freehand machine stitch detail on felt, stuffed with polyfill. Dolls include Trumo, Moscow Mitch, SHirtless Putin and Betsey Devos
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Trump VooDoo DollsTrump VooDoo Dolls . Freehand machine sitched facial features and felt , polyfill, stick pins.
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Moscow Mitch VooDoo DollFreehand machine stitched facial features, felt, polyfill
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Brent Kavanaugh Cat nip toyfreehand machine stitched facial features, felt, polyfill and catnip
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Making Trump's faceHow I thread draw each Trump face!
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Trump Protest Banner for the Climate March
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Buns Not Guns Banner for March for our Lives ProtestBanner for the March for our Lives Protest in Washington DC., March, 24, 2018.
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Betsy Devos Cat nip toyBetsy Devos is created with felt, freehand machine stitching for face and details, stuffed with poly fill and catnip. Packaging comes with a photoshop teacher shooting bears outside the school house.
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Lucyfur and her Trump catnip toy
Figures in Thread
The exploration of figures in thread has been a central focus of my artistic journey since my inaugural piece, "Girl with Bird," in 2014. To maintain and enhance my drawing skills, I engaged in figure drawing sessions at the Maryland Institute, College of Art. Drawing inspiration from the female figure as a potent means of expression, I naturally transitioned to challenging myself by stitching figures on my sewing machine.
"Lost in Collaboration" marked a pivotal moment for me, feeling like a true homecoming. This piece seamlessly captured the layered approach reminiscent of my painting days. The collaboration between figures, birds, and patterned backgrounds rekindled the essence of my past as a painter. Drawing parallels with my earlier practice of painting wallpaper backgrounds, I translated the layering of line work, color shaping, and playful opaqueness into the realm of fabric and felt.
The two studies of women, inspired by works by Richard Diebenkorn, represent a departure as they incorporate felt into the background for added color depth. This experimentation with felt adds a tactile and visual dimension, further expanding the expressive possibilities within my exploration of figures in thread. The evolution of my work reflects a seamless transition from traditional drawing to the intricacies of stitching, capturing the essence of collaboration and layered narratives.
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Lost in Collaboration, 2018
"Lost in Collaboration" 2018, 18" X 18" X 1" Freehand machine-stiched drawn figure, trees, and bird on toile fabric and canvas stretched in an 18" embroidery hoop.
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Lost in Collaboration, detail , 2018Freehand machine stitched line work on fabric, felt applique.
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Dream , 2018"Dream" 2020, 20" X 12" X .5" Freehand machine-stitched figure and dandelion on cotton fabric, freehand machine flower on felt, appliqued and reinforced sewn on vintage barkcloth. Stretched and framed in a vintage wooden embroidery hoop.
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The Sign of the BlueBird, 2018"The Sign of the BlueBird", 2020. 27" x 18" x 1" Freehand machine-stiched figure, bluebird, and coneflower plant on fabric, flower diagrams freehand machine stitched on felt, all applique on toile fabric. Stretched and frame in the vintage wooden embroidery hoop.
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Jenny the Wren , 2019"Jenny the Wren " 2020. 16" X 16" X 1" Freehand machine-stitched figure, wren, hibiscus outline, and dandelion plant. Hand Embroidered flowers, on toile fabric. Stretched and frame in a vintage embroidered hoop.
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Sleeping Seasons , 2014"Sleeping Seasons ", 2014 Freehand machine stitching on canvas and vintage barkcloth 15" x 10"
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After Deibenkorn Girl with Flower Background, 2019Freehand machine stitching on canvas and felt. Based on Richard Diebenkorn's "Girl with Flower Background" 8" X 10" , 2019
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After Deibenkorn, Seated Woman No. 44, 2019"After Deibenkorn, Seated Woman No. 44", 2019 . Freehand machine stitching on canvas and felt 8" X 6" x 1.5"
Looking through the Lines
My exploration of overlaying lines traces back to the early nineties, inspired by the captivating work of David Salle. Salle's ability to prompt viewers to discover new dialogues within overlaid images and his adept use of juxtaposition left a lasting impact on my artistic sensibilities. During this period, marked by introspection and a quest for my artistic vocabulary, I delved into soul-searching and sought inspiration from childhood textbooks and found imagery.
In my early paintings, I embraced the technique of projecting images, playing with textures, and overlaying images and color. The projected line, in particular, became a meditative and labor-intensive aspect of my work. This technique persisted throughout much of my painting career, allowing me to express complex narratives through the layering of visual elements.
The parallels between my painting and fiber work became apparent as I continued my artistic journey. In my fiber art, I draw on the traced line, overlaying it onto the pattern, and integrating it with the color shapes of fabric and felt. This approach, reminiscent of my earlier painting technique, signifies a seamless transition in my exploration of overlaying lines, demonstrating the enduring influence of David Salle's innovative use of juxtaposition and layered imagery.
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Rawhide , 1993Rawhide, oil on canvas, 1993. 46" x 42"
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Fetish, 1992"Fetish", 1992, oil on canvas. 42" X 42"
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Sewn Wounds, 1990Sewn Wounds, 1990 oil on canvas with wire. 24" X 18"
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Latency , 1990Latency, 1990, oil on canvas 1990. 36" x 36"
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Glue, 1991oil on canvas; two panels, 1991
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Birthday Party , 1994oil on sewn canvas,1994. 52" X 46"
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Quik and Ioil on sewn canvas, 1999
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Container , 1999Oil on canvas, 1999. 63" X 48"
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Speak , 1999oil on canvas and drawn arm on paper, 1999
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Mother May I , 2003oil on canvas, 2003