bio

Born in Washington, DC, Jean Prominski was educated at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, graduating with a BFA in 2004.  She has also studied at Drexel University, as a student in the Architecture Department.  Jean has attended classes at Pilchuck Glass School, The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass, and at Pratt Fine Arts Center.

The work Jean creates is very much inspired by pores, bacteria, dirt and germs, and reflects on how the skin can act as a barrier.  She works primarily with glass, wax, resin, and plaster.

Currently she is working as an independent artist in Seattle, and as a freelance glassblower.

“Clearing clutter, unclogging a drain, and meticulously flossing my teeth are all things I like doing, because they are gross, but I love seeing them because I feel accomplished at having isolated them from the good things.  Seeing what was wrong and is now fixed is incredibly rewarding.  I am infatuated with the idea and imagery of objectifying toxins as something valuable, presenting them as larger and more of a prized possession to collect.  As an artist, I am converting these ideas of contaminants into something tangible and talismanic, making them more of a precious object that should be displayed and consciously viewed.  I make work about things that energize me: epsom salts that pull impurities out of the body; steam cleaners that shoot water into fibers and then extract it using a sucking motion.  My work is very positive. 

"The shapes, climates and textures I create are all images in my imagination that get magnified.  It’s gratifying to see the nouns and verbs I’m obsessed with evolve into amplified animations.  I select materials based on how they flow instinctively, and don’t try to transform a material into something it’s not.  Gravity and other natural phenomena play an important role in the creation of my work.

"My body of work is more specifically related to the skin as a barrier between ourselves and the outside world.  I am interested in how the skin purges unwanted particles.  I am curious about the various layers of the membrane, how it breathes, and how things permeate the surface.  Pores are what filter out the poison in the air from your body-- when these orifices are clear, there is a spacious void, empty of matter and immaculate.  My work represents clarity to me, whether it is depicting a glimpse of flawless purity beneath the surface, or magnifying an atmosphere of accumulation that needs to be exterminated.”