The Inspiration Behind Our Tom Jean Webb Collaboration
Who is Tom Jean Webb?
Tom Jean Webb is a British born artist who splits his time between London and Austin, Texas. His work features western and southwestern iconography influenced by his grandfather’s fascination with American history and culture. Growing up, his mother was a curtain maker, so he gained a keen understanding of the beauty of art on fabric. Through fine lines, colors, and objects, he creates a contemporary portrayal of ancient regions and motifs on textiles, canvas, pottery, and large scale murals.
Why did Frēda choose to collaborate?
We initially met Tom through our friend, singer/songwriter Lia Ices. He animated her music video, and it captivated us, so we reached out to introduce ourselves, then invited him to do an exhibition at our store. He completed an in-store exhibition in San Francisco in November 2016, then in Los Angeles in June 2017. We have stayed in touch with Tom and continue to follow his work, so when the opportunity arose to collaborate with him on bandanas, we were thrilled. In terms of his designs for FREDA, we discussed a bird and a woman made using his signature clean lines because the simplicity evokes such emotion. See images of the in-store exhibition below:
What is the inspiration behind the designs?
Symmetrical bird print (Available in Olive and Light Pink)
I feel a connection to birds, a representation of freedom that I have always sought, creatively, and emotionally. There's an ease with which they experience this world, and often through times of self-reflection, I try to use them as inspiration to remain light. I have flown West in search of myself and my art, all the while feeling an affinity the bird and following the winds of emotions to move me.
Symmetrical woman print (Available in Burnt Sienna and Light Grey)
The characters in my art act as vessels to absorb all that is good, to move, to learn, to listen, and to evolve. I use the female as the highest form of this way of being, a mother nature figure who connects us to our best selves; the giver of life, love, and hope in a physical and spiritual sense.