Jennifer McNulty
STATEMENT
My work explores the dichotomous relationship between perception and reality in both subject matter and presentation. I refer to my works as 3D Photo Mosaics, which were born from my love of genealogy paired with my interest in pop culture and history. These works combine the graphic beauty of photography with the sculptural quality of tiled mosaics. This marriage of methods give the art depth and engages the viewer by requiring them to get up close to see the small detailed photos and then step back to observe the compound image that is formed. Every piece carries a social message from feminism to civil rights to LGBTQ to Chicago’s history to globalism, and each individual image among hundreds in a single piece is thoroughly researched for accuracy and relevance to the overall subject.
BIO
Jennifer McNulty’s artistic career is diverse from a successful career in illustration, photography, traditional tiled mosaics and now 3D Photo Mosaics which began in 2011. In 2013, she pursued galleries to exhibit her work and within 2 months had exhibited in 2 Chicago galleries, including Morpho Gallery where she was selected for their “Best Of Emerging Artists 2013” exhibition. “John Lennon: Peace” was selected for a national traveling exhibit for the “Peace Project” & was published in their coffee table book in 2013. In addition, she has had 10 solo exhibitions & has shown widely in juried group exhibitions, including Rockford Art Museum’s 73rd Midwestern Biennial, Bridgeport Art Center’s 2nd Annual Juried Art Competition & Woman Made Gallery’s 18th International Open. McNulty was also selected by Oak Park Education Foundation to teach in their Art Start Program every year since 2014. She was also interviewed on VOP-TV about her career & artistic process, which aired June 2015. She has exhibited in over 50 local, regional and international exhibitions from 2013-2020, including 11 solo exhibitions.
After graduating from the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana in 1991, with a Bachelor's degree in Advertising & minor in Art History, McNulty continued her post-graduate journey to the Minneapolis College of Art & Design for illustration. In 1992, she moved back to Chicago and began to show her work. Her illustrations were published in over 30 national & independent publications, such as Crane’s Chicago Business, L.A. Reader, Austin Chronicle & San Francisco Bay Guardian. In the mid-90's, McNulty began working in advertising as an Art Buyer at prestigious Chicago agencies. In 1999, she moved to London, England, where her interest in mosaics was born. She saw this ancient art form everywhere. The notion of illustrating a story with tiles piqued her interest. McNulty was inspired to research the process and soon began merging her illustration background with mosaic tiles, all on antique pieces found on the Portobello Road in London.
After moving back to Chicago in 2002, McNulty continued with her mosaic work as well as exploring photography. In 2008, she worked with acclaimed photographer Liz Chilsen as her project manager. This relationship deepened her knowledge of photography and has enhanced the artist that she is today. McNulty now divides much of her time between her family and working in her art studio. She currently resides in Oak Park, Illinois, where the bulk of her work is in commissions for her 3D Photo Mosaic pieces.
Image: Detail from Jeff Goldblum