Over the Hill Series I, II, III

Over the Hill I

Over the Hill II

Over the Hill III

Over the Hill Series (I–III)

The “Over the Hill I–III” series is created with hand-dyed fabrics and mixed media, developed through a slow, layered process of coloring, washing, cutting, and composing textiles. Each piece captures the feeling of climbing a windy hill — pushing forward with effort, then pausing at the peak where a quiet sense of emptiness meets clarity.

This work reflects on the human journey: the ascent, the labor, the moments of reflection, and the recognition that much of what we hold onto is temporary. The transparent layers and muted tones visualize the tension between weight and impermanence, suggesting that meaning often reveals itself at the edges of stillness and loss.

Through this series, I invite viewers to consider their own passages — the hills they have climbed, the efforts made, and the moments when the wind rearranges everything we thought was fixed. These works stand as quiet reminders of the resilience and vulnerability present in every life path.

In-Depth Analysis: The Embodied Journey

The "Over the Hill Series (I–III)," created with hand-dyed fabrics and mixed media, serves as a profound meditation on the human experience, utilizing both material process and symbolic imagery to communicate its themes.

1. The Symbolism of the Ascent and Clarity

The "climbing a windy hill" archetype is central to the series' philosophical foundation. In art and literature, the hill ascent is a powerful metaphor for life's challenges, endurance, and the journey toward spiritual progression. It embodies the struggle that individuals face in pursuit of progress and growth.

The key conceptual pivot is the moment of "pausing at the peak where a quiet sense of emptiness meets clarity." This pause acknowledges the temporary nature of what we hold onto (impermanence) and the existential crisis or self-doubt encountered along the way, leading to a profound moment of reflection. The resulting clarity is gained through sustained effort and the wisdom of endurance through adversity.

2. Technique as Metaphor: Layering, Washing, and Textiles

The artistic process itself mirrors the "labor" and "moments of reflection" inherent in the human journey. The use of a slow, layered process of coloring, washing, and composing textiles adds depth, complexity, and a tactile quality to the work.

• Layering and Composition: In mixed media, the act of layering, tearing, and rebuilding is seen as a physical manifestation of human experience: imperfect, evolving, and layered. Each layer symbolizes the successive periods of struggle and learning in life.

• Washing: The inclusion of "washing" suggests a process of dilution and removal, akin to the passage of time blurring or softening memory. In art, thin wash layers are used to create transparency and luminosity, allowing underlying colors and textures to show through. This technique visually supports the concept of things that were "fixed" being rearranged by the wind of change.

3. Visualizing Impermanence: Transparent Layers and Muted Tones

The choice of "transparent layers and muted tones" is crucial to the work’s visual philosophy, explicitly serving to "visualize the tension between weight and impermanence."

• Muted Tones: These colors—soft, desaturated, and often reminiscent of natural landscapes—lend a sense of serenity, balance, and quiet emotion to the piece. They temper brighter emotions, creating an atmospheric effect that is melancholic yet sophisticated, reinforcing the theme of loss while simultaneously suggesting growth.

• Transparency: Transparent layers allow light to pass through, creating depth and luminosity while ensuring that past layers remain partially visible. This visual device perfectly captures the tension between "weight" (the history of layers/labor) and "impermanence" (the transient nature of the surface/present moment). The final works are, therefore, "quiet reminders" that vulnerability and resilience are intertwined aspects of every life path.

© Jaclyn Bae | Mixed Media on Hand-Dyed Fabric

See also: Fragments of Memories

Continuing the quiet reflection of Over the Hill, Fragments of Memories explores time, texture, and remembrance through repurposed denim and layered abstraction.

Fragments of Memories | Fiber Art