From her studio on the Hampshire coast, textile sculptor Bryony Jennings stitches soulful creatures from vintage cloth, forgotten buttons and timeworn threads. In this thoughtful conversation, Bryony reflects on the slow magic of her making process, how fabric holds memory, and the quiet bravery of balancing motherhood, art and imagination.
You’re just trying to help them realise who they want to become. It sounds completely bananas, but when you spend most of your life staring at these cloth creatures, you do kind of start listening.
– Bryony Jennings
Takeaways from this episode
- Fabric carries more than texture – it carries time.
Bryony’s sculptures begin not with a concept, but with the cloth itself. Pre-loved, pre-worn and full of past lives, each fragment guides her toward the creature it’s meant to become.
- Making is an act of listening.
Bryony doesn’t force her creatures into being – she coaxes them to life. Eyes, limbs, gestures and expressions evolve slowly, revealing personality when the moment is right.
- Creativity is a conversation with memory.
From childhood influences to inherited fabrics and a life-size donkey named Flossie, Bryony’s work honours the unseen threads that stitch together life, loss and legacy.
- Teaching is a two-way street.
As a tutor, Bryony encourages students through the vulnerable "duck phase" of their making process – that uncertain early stage where nothing looks quite right yet. She reminds us to “embrace the fray” and trust that beauty can emerge from the imperfect.
- You don’t have to stay one thing.
Whether as jeweller, sculptor, mother or mentor, Bryony’s path reflects a creative life in flux – open to evolution, rooted in craft, and rich with soulful connection.
Explore the artwork from this episode below
During the live interview, we shared some images of Bryony’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made these images available for you below.
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