Threads of Beauty: On Fashion, Fabric, & Theology
In this bonus episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach revisits The Pace of Beauty series with artist and designer Jennifer Sturrock.
Drawing from her background in couture, contemporary art, and theological study, Jennifer shares how fabric and materiality have become a framework for exploring deeper questions of identity, mystery, and communion with God. What begins as a conversation about textiles and clothing unfolds into a rich exploration of the Transfiguration, the symbolism of garments throughout Scripture, and the ways beauty reveals truths that often remain hidden beneath the surface.
Stephen and Jen discuss the theological significance of clothing and how fashion can function as both concealment and revelation. Jennifer reflects on her own artistic practice, including large-scale textile installations that invite viewers into contemplation, mystery, and embodied ways of knowing.
The conversation also explores Jennifer's idea of "rewilding the creative soul,” embracing vulnerability, and discovering the beauty that emerges when people become more fully themselves.
Highlights:
• Jennifer's journey from fashion and textile design into theology and contemporary art
• How the Transfiguration shaped her artistic and theological imagination
• Fashion as language
• Art as a practice of mystery, contemplation, and unknowing
About Jennifer Sturrock
Jennifer Sturrock is a Scottish multidisciplinary artist, designer, curator, and researcher whose work integrates couture, installation art, and poetry. Drawing on studies at Chelsea College of Arts and London College of Fashion, she later earned a Master's degree in Theology & the Arts from King's College London, where she specialized in the idea of beauty in theology.
Connect with Jen
Website: https://www.jennifersturrock.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jensturrock
VISUAL ARTS RETREAT: If you're looking for creative renewal, meaningful connection, and space to deepen your artistic practice, I want to invite you to our upcoming retreat in Moravian Falls, North Carolina, July 10th through 12th. Applications are open, but space is limited.