Jeanine Malec is a Minneapolis-based artist, creating under the moniker Nest and Tessellate. Her work explores visual languages derived from forgotten folk art patterns and symbolism. Her practice seeks to revive the use of these ideograms as a way to connect with ancestral 

traditions, anchor our energies in the present, and craft symbolic stories about who we want to be as a community going forward. Sigils, or symbols charged with intention, have a long history of use as agents of healing and protection. Collecting imagery from around South Minneapolis, she hopes to draw attention to different folk art traditions, draw parallels between forms, identify shared meanings and with the help of collaborators, construct a contemporary folk art language rooted in the magic of this place and its people. The results of this inquiry are intended to act as a reference point, inspiring positive change through the intentional use of symbols or sigils. The goal, in short, is to create a magical folk art for our time.  

www.nestandtessellate.art

Image credit: Sam Robertson Art