Artist weaves together the human and animal worlds

28.06.2024

Artist Jane Remm and her family have chosen Karula as their second home. Now anyone can have a chance to experience which feelings and thoughts Karula national park activates, thanks to Jane’s outdoor installation “Nests and Roots” in Ähijärv.

The Remm family was looking for a country home and had already chosen one near Tartu. But then an acquaintance from Karula who had been hesitant to sell their house called to ask if they were still interested in getting a countryhouse. “Even though we had decided, we thought we’d go see the place in Karula, just to put our minds at ease. Already on the road, II was captivated but the mystical forest with its trees of different ages. When we reached the house, it was very clear that we stay there. You won´t easily find a forest like in Karula anywhere else in Estonia,” Remm recalled. Moreover, there’s a wonderful community there.

For the family, creative activities are part of everyday lives: Jane´s partner Aleksander Kuchmezov is an actor, and their children Artur (9), Marta Johanna (7), and Kustas (2) both create their own art, and also accompany their parents to exhibitions.

Jane Remm believes more people would choose countryside as a living place if there were jobs and nearby schools. And public transport would make rural life easier. However, there’s a lot happening in the villages, and there is more joy in making and creating things self, than the city life allows for.

As a child, Remm attended art classes both in Elva and Tartu. Her teacher in Elva, Helle Saue, offered more freedom of choice than was usual in the school system of that time.

“When I started university, I wondered whether I should study biology or art. I chose art, hoping it would give me more freedom. And today I can say that it was true, but now I also understand that freedom comes with responsibility.”

For Jane Remm, the most important aspect of art is the freedom of making decisions and developing ideas. “The entire thought process – when a new idea starts to form, and the doubts that come with it – is fascinating to me. A significant part of creativity involves doubting oneself and one’s work.”

Remm’s initial forest paintings were inspired by old tree stumps — not ones cut by saws, but those created by nature itself. These stumps provide habitats for other species: moss, lichens, fungi, and insects.

“Also the garden can be an endless source of ideas because there are countless perspectives to discover,” the artist said.

Her latest exhibition at Tallinn’s Vaal Gallery featured a painting inspired by thoughts that emerged while walking by Lake Õdri near her home in Karula. “I created a large painting in forest colors, trying to convey the feeling of being in the forest. I also reflected on coexistence with other animals and I wrote letters to mice, butterflies, and bees,” said Remm.

Remm believes that art can have a deeper impact than a simple written piece, or a poster. At the same time, she enjoys articulating her thoughts in writing. “I’m currently doing my PhD, and maybe that’s why it suits me. However, I do not want the written messages to dominate. The impact of an artwork is stronger when everyone can create their own perspective and find a viewpoint that resonates with them.”

Remm does not only create human-centered art, but also seeks ways to connect with other species. “I’ve painted various images on a feeding house for tits that might have meaning for the birds. I drew seeds, branches, other tits, and a pygmy owl and observed how the birds reacted to the different works. The painted seeds didn’t attract them, but the owl image was intimidating.”

Jane Remm has also tried to create art with the help of other species. “I put sticks in a beehive for the bees to build combs on, then displayed them in an exhibition.”

There’s much to find in the forest and garden to use in artworks. “Old abandoned nests are the creations of other species. I amplified them and painted large paintings. To me, it is very interesting to explore, in which conditions a creative activity is human-centered, and in which conditions they reach beyond human-only borders. Humans resemble other species, yet we also differ. However, in art, we can bring together things we create.”

The process of creating art is important to Remm: observing the objects she depicts, painting, and drawing them. “When the painting is on display, I think about what the visitor perceives when they see it. The viewer always misses part of what I felt while creating the piece.”

When drawing in nature, the artist focuses on her senses and feelings. Being really present and focused on what you see – or whom you see – helps to perceive oneself as part of nature. “Maybe there are mosquitoes around, or it’s autumn and my hands are already cold? When drawing, I constantly need to discover something new for myself and incorporate that feeling into my creation.”

For instance, in the garden, one can observe relations between different species and try to highlight their perspectives. “I made a series of drawings depicting soil. The garden is constantly changing. What makes drawing plants special is how the leaves, stems, and flowers intertwine. I experiment with different techniques and write about what I felt while creating the artwork. Sometimes it’s cold, sometimes there’s a scent, or a sound.”

Anyone can become an artist

Many people are disconnected from nature, and Remm thinks that creative activities such as drawing can make the nature experience more exciting. “We touch the bark or the ground, close our eyes and listen to the surroundings, sense a smell, and then try to put those feelings on paper.”

Since Jane Remm works as a lecturer in art didactics at Tallinn University, she often thinks about learning and teaching in this field. Remm believes every child can become an artist.

“Art is a broad concept and can be interpreted in many different ways. People may have different strengths; one might be a master at drawing, while another is a brilliant thinker. A good organizer can get a team working.”

As in any other field, when one learns to become artist or art teacher, the person also acquiers a certain mindset. A teacher influences students through their understanding of what art is and how it is made. This is where people who have studied this field stand out from others. “How they deal with mistakes and doubts, how much they value the process versus the result,” Remm explained.

She believes that an adult should not draw a picture for a child to copy. The child is not capable of independently replicating those images. They need time to develop from scribbling to spatial representation. At the same time, overly complicated pictures can create the impression that this is the only correct approach. This can make the child feel that they can’t draw.

“Teaching in this way quickly creates insecurity and fear in young children. Since they no longer dare to make decisions on their own, the joy of creation is also lost. The teacher’s role is to inspire and observe what interests the child, and then to develop these things further.”

The feeling of not being able to draw is quite common during adolescence, Remm says. It is often a time of a creative crisis: one becomes more critical of oneself, the skills don’t match what the person wants to create.

However, realistic depiction is not the only way to do art. To paint the surroundings as they are, according to Remm, requires a lot of practice. As an art teacher, Remm considers it most important for children to have the interest and desire to create.

“It’s a journey of discovery — creating together with the teacher and peers. Depending on the children’s age, I try to give them different tasks. For older children, you can teach realistic depiction skills: shadow, light, perspective, proportion. Often, children are surprised at how well their work turns out. I also teach young people to think and discuss various topics together. I encourage them to talk about their work.”

The result is important, but Remm believes that the process should be valued more.

“Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot that everyone can create art. Mastery and masterpieces are, of course, very important, but alongside them, there should not be fear or insecurity about not being able to do it. I try to encourage and invite both children and adults to explore the world through art.”

Experience Nest and Cave Life

As part of the art tour The Route Diverse, Jane Remm has created an outdoor installation “Nests and Roots” in Karula, next to Ähijärv lake. The project was inspired by nests and habitats. “Many species use a nest only for a short period to raise offspring. However, nests and burrows can also be refuges to isolate from others. Children love to build wooden shelters, even though adults could make them better.”

The installations were created in collaboration with the local communities. The process started with workshops where the participants discussed their relationships with nature. The process of creating the artworks included both local communities, and also people who have come to live in Southern Estonia from other countries.

While walking around Ähijärv, participants observed nature. They noticed insects, birds, and plants, the nesting sites, and based on this, the groups created the installations.

The insect area was created by children and younsters from Karula art school, guided by Jane. “Each child chose a plant, drew a model, and then we started building together. Here we have oxeye daisy, viper’s bugloss, common horsetail, cow parsnip, and reed. We all learned from this process — both crafting and teamwork skills.”

When children see these large plant installations, they immediately start playing insects. At the same time, adults can also take a break, immerse in nature observation, and let the imagination flow.

The art trail also leads to a large ant nest made of branches. “It feels like being in a cathedral,” Remm says.

A sign in the lake announces that this is the home of a perch, and suggests to jump into the water and feel what it’s like to be a fish. “We use the lake for swimming, but it’s the home of fish and other animals. People are just guests here,” Remm explained.

There´s also a cave along the path. “It has some cave paintings, so it could even be a human cave. But it’s certainly a place to hide and be alone if desired.”

The trees have a giant spider web: “The spider web is a symbol of interconnection between different species,” Remm said.

While gathering ideas for the installation at Ähijärv, the artist saw a bird – a goldeneye – flying out of a tree. Thus, a bird dormitory was created, since one tree can be home to many creatures.

At the end of the trail, you can climb into a nest inspired by the home of the black stork, a symbol of Karula’s old-growth forests.

Jane Remm hopes that ultimately, some of the installations might become homes for the forest inhabitants of Karula.

The article was published in Postimees, 11.07.2024 (in Estonian)