Inspirations, by Jessica Dance

Creating tactile, inviting solutions to each and every brief, Jessica Dance's vision of the world is a joy to behold. As well as her ongoing collaboration with Rob Francis as Get Mullerd and Dance, Jess has previously worked for exciting clients including Gap, Mulberry and Selfridges.

She introduces five inspirational references and explains their influence on her work below.

1. Wallace & Gromit

Since I was about 7 I've had an obsession with Wallace & Gromit. I used to have a ‘Wallace & Gromit display centre’, which was essentially a book shelf with my collection of Wallace & Gromit items displayed on it. I would regularly take everything out of the display centre and then re-design it. I still have the key parts of the display centre stored away (several letters from Nick Park’s secretary, assuring me that Nick was definitely too busy to reply to me personally because he was working on Chicken Run, plus two treasured cards with Nick Park's autograph). Wallace & Gromit have continued to inspire me to this day- I love the attention to detail that goes into each frame and that everything is crafted to the highest standard. In years to come I will re-open the display centre... as a museum.

2. Jean Greenhowe’s craft books

Jean is largely known for her wonderful knitted toys, but she also published several craft books in the 1980s. These contain wonderful projects like how to make a kitten in a mitten or a family of mice (including their clothes and furniture). Something which I really love about Jean Greenhowe is that she does everything herself: she designs the patterns, makes the item, builds the set and photographs the finished project. Below is her method of/ journey to getting the right consistency of sawdust for one of her brilliant sets.

'Weetabix - too dark
Mini Shredded Wheat - too stiff and spiky
Crunchy Nut breakfast cereal - nut bits wouldn't crunch
Potato chips, Pringles, Mini Cheddars - all too greasy
Spaghetti and macaroni - impossible to crumble.'

Crisbakes were the solution in the end.

3. Model Villages

There’s something I find fascinating about model villages; the charm and illusion of these idyllic, peaceful, suburban towns and villages really appeals to me. I get very engrossed when looking at anything like this- I’m the same with doll houses. I really imagine being inside and living there, and always wonder what goes on when all the visitors leave (I think mice families return from work, none the wiser that they have had guests peering into their homes all day).

Find more information on Babbacombe Model Village here.

4. My Mum dressed as a cigarette packet

I’m not a smoker and neither is my Mum, but I find this really funny.

I discovered some slides at my grandma’s house and found this treasure amongst the pile. I have only just got round to putting it into a slide projector to see it larger, and I love it even more now! Initially I was completely taken by the playfulness and the oversized scale, but then when I enlarged it and could see the hand-rendered Embassy logo and all the finer details It inspired me even more. This marvellous fancy dress costume was made by Mum's neighbour Robby, for her to wear to a church fete.

5. The animal kingdom

Featured images: Nick Park at work on the set of Wallace & Gromit (first); a set by Jean Greenhowe, complete with handmade mice (second); and gardener Russel Medforth spring-cleaning Babbacombe Model Village (third).

Posted by Rosie.