Jennifer Grubba is Untangling a Path to Healing with Her Wire Sculpture Practice

My wire sculpture has been part of my recovery after a diagnosis of PTSD, Depression, Severe Anxiety and Agrophobia.

I find the wire is incredibly meditative, and I can easily lose myself in it.

The ideas come from anywhere and everywhere. Something I’ve seen or heard. A song lyric, a show I’ve watched.

The Path to Tasmania Opened More Doors to Creativity

I moved to Tasmania from Queenslandd after my diagnosis. My husband and I had only visited Tassie once before we moved, and only for four days to see a friend/neighbour who moved here.

We fell in love with the North West and when we got home to Brisbane, we said to each other… if either of us ever wants to quit (what was) our high paying job, we’ll move to Tassie and slow everything right down.

We didn’t know this would happen within the year.

We both worked in a Police Call Centre. A very high stress, demanding and draining job that we both loved and felt called to do.

But emergency services does certainly take its toll on you.

And Tasmania has been such a restful, soulful and peaceful place to recover and just get lost in my artwork.

Tasmania has helped me heal, slow down, and allowed me to be 100% focused on creating art.

Allowing Creativity to Flow

I’ve always been artistic. I used to pain in both acrylics and oils. Mostly landscapes.

I stumbled into my wire by accident when I attempted to do some clay sculpture.

Working shift work gave me time to be creative and it was how I relaxed.

Exploring a New Creative Challenge Lead to Wire Scultpure Joy

But I wanted a new challenge. So I thought I’d try clay.

Good old YouTube showed me how to get started by creating armature. A wire skeleton to get started on.

I found the wire so meditative, clean and easy to take to work with me.

I used to take it into work on night shifts and I would practice small pieces between phone calls and reports.

Since being medically retired, I’ve had more time to increase my knowledge and further my pieces.

Making Wire Scultpure Anywhere 

My “studio” is anywhere I am. I just need a roll of wire, which is only 30 to 50 meters and a pair of small needle nose pliers. That’s it.

Of course, some pieces end up being painted, placed on hand made bases etc.

And that required more time and space. But essentially, I can create anywhere and anytime.

I’m often in front of the TV, or on the back patio of our home in Stanley wiring away.

Creating In a Healthy Balance

I can spend 10 hours a day, minus coffee breaks and playing with our dogs, just creating.

We’re working towards creating a studio space at home in our garage, so that I have a display area to have people come and view.

But that’s perhaps in a few months or so.

Exhibitions Influencing Wire Scultpure Creativity 

I have found over time, and by doing exhibitions and showing pieces, that I have to consider the buyers home when I’m creating pieces.

Often my sculptures are quite tall, and I didn’t realise initially that people don’t have that kind of space in their homes for them.

It was a real learning experience and changed how I looked at my poses.

It made me think more about what sort of spaces people have to put my artwork. Bookshelves, tables, mantles etc.

Learning About Exhibition Requirements

I also hadn’t realised until I had done a few exhibitions that there are a lot of restrictions when showing your art.

Size, weight etc. Certainly things to consider when you initially design a piece.

Allowing Creativity to Take Shape

The best advice I was given wasn’t really in relation to my art. It was given to me by a psychologist as I went through therapy for my mental health. “Ït is what it is”.

Some people don’t like this statement. And it can be used in a very disrespectful way to brush someone off.

But when it comes to art, I think it allows you to let go a little.

To allow something to take its shape, to breathe on it’s own and just let it happen.

The Power of Being Kind to Yourself

And to allow yourself a little bit of kindness, to not be such a hard task master on yourself.

About the Artist

Hi, I’m Jennifer Grubba, the artist behind “Lila’s Tree”, and I am a wire sculpture artist.

Born in Townsville, I have been married for 20 years and recently moved to Stanley from the mainland after 10 years of working for Queensland Police on the phones.

I was medically retired due to PTSD, and as part of recovery focused on my artistic side using my wire to help with switch off my mind and relax.

I’ve been doing this type of art for just over four years now. I am self-taught, picking up tips from other similar artists from around the world through YouTube.

Over the last few years have had lots of missteps, and have learnt a lot with practice, culminating in “Avalon” the lion as my largest and most challenging piece to date.

Now settled in Stanley and we’re working on repurposing our garage into a shop front so I can work and be open year round. Until then, you can find me on Facebook and Instagram or at www.lilastree.net