Artist Collaborates With the Wind Bringing Colorful Fabrics To Life in Dreamy Photos

Photographs of Tulle Floating Over Landscapes by Thomas Jackson

“Tulle no. 22,” Point Reyes National Seashore, California, 2020

Working with the elements can often feel like an uphill battle, especially for photographers. But California-based artist Thomas Jackson has adapted to the challenge by letting the wind be a collaborator in his art. Together, man and nature created a series of dreamy images featuring the mutable forms of colorful tulle soaring over Californian seascapes on the back of a strong breeze.

“Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the possibility of human-made systems working in sync with nature, rather than in opposition to it,” Jackson tells My Modern Met. “With this latest body of work, I’ve explored that theme in my own modest way by trying to create sculptures that respond to the elements instead of resisting them.” To do this, the artist needed a material that would withstand the weather. He chose nylon tulle because it is lightweight, flexible, highly durable, and can be used for multiple shoots.

“In the past, I’ve viewed the wind as a threat to my outdoor installations, which are often quite fragile, but in 2020 I embraced California’s strong offshore breezes as my artistic collaborator, the force that could transform lifeless scraps of fabric into fast-moving brush fires, rolling fog, wildflower super blooms, or other natural phenomena,” he continues. While the nebulous textiles resemble kites in some of the images, in others, their forms take on a more cottony appearance.

The series takes place primarily on the scenic shores of Point Reyes and Stinson Beach in northern California, near San Francisco. “The initial inspiration for the series was fire,” Jackson explains. “As a California resident living in a vulnerable area, the threat of fire and the resulting pollution became a constant preoccupation. Once I started shooting, however, the work took on a life of its own. Some of the installations ended up resembling fire, but others assumed more abstract, inscrutable forms. The wind, it turned out, is an unreliable artistic collaborator, and many of the shoots turned out completely different from what I initially envisioned. However, fire remains the guiding inspiration for this series as I go forward.”

Scroll down to see more colorful photographs by Jackson, and follow the artist on Instagram to keep up to date with his latest projects.

Artist Thomas Jackson “harnesses the wind” in his newest series of photographs.

Photographs of Tulle Floating Over Landscapes by Thomas Jackson

“Tulle no. 23,” Point Reyes National Seashore, California, 2020

His dreamy images capture colorful tulle floating over Californian seascapes.

Photographs of Tulle Floating Over Landscapes by Thomas Jackson

“Tulle no. 18,” Point Reyes National Seashore, California, 2020

The wind transforms the lifeless fabric into living things that grow and billow with the breeze.

Photographs of Tulle Floating Over Landscapes by Thomas Jackson

“Tulle no. 14,” Point Reyes National Seashore, California, 2020

Photographs of Tulle Floating Over Landscapes by Thomas Jackson

“Tulle no. 12,” Stinson Beach, California, 2020

Photographs of Tulle Floating Over Landscapes by Thomas Jackson

“Tulle no. 11,” Stinson Beach, California, 2020

Photographs of Tulle Floating Over Landscapes by Thomas Jackson

“Tulle no. 8,” Point Reyes National Seashore, California, 2020

Thomas Jackson: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Thomas Jackson.

Related Articles:

Dancing Light Paintings Contour Nature With Fiery Streaks of Illumination

Immersive Installation Suspends a Field of Grass From the Ceiling to Contemplate the Nature of Goodbyes

Dazzling Projections Transform Iconic Japanese Garden Into an Immersive Art Installation

Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wrote and illustrated an instructional art book about how to draw cartoons titled 'Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square' that was published by Walter Foster in 2022.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.

Sponsored Content