About the Artist
Jessica Jeffery is native to New Mexico, where she has spent the majority of her life. Infused with a sense of adventure from a young age, she has never been content to stay in one place. She spent a brief time in Arizona, during which time she married, and then returned to New Mexico. However, the draw of the lush Pacific Northwest brought her to Portland in 2012 where she remained until 2020. After having 3 children, she returned to New Mexico to be closer to family.
In her teens she began to develop an intense desire to travel and experience other cultures. Her “list” of places she would like to visit encompasses essentially the entire planet. She began with London and Paris and has since visited such fascinating places as the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian Pyramids, Macchu Picchu in Peru, the Taj Mahal in India, Russia, as well as much of Western Europe. It is her goal to reach all 7 continents. She is particularly attached to Italy, the birthplace of her late grandfather. It is a country of diverse landscapes, gregarious people and rich artistic and cultural heritage. It is no wonder the country inspires so much beautiful art! She dreams of relocating to Italy with her family.
From a young age she was always described as “the artistic one” and would frequently draw portraits or figures. In her teens and early twenties she gravitated to photography, particularly black and white images. She states “I love the truth that is revealed when all the glitter and glam of color is stripped away.”
Jessica nursed a desire to paint, but felt intimidated by the prospect. She recalls being quite nervous about managing color theory and different paint mediums without any formal instruction. However, with some encouragement from her husband she decided to embark on this adventure. She began with oil paints and found their properties conducive to her style and subject matter. After a few years she began experimenting with acrylic paints and mediums and found these to be quite versatile and appealing.
Though Jessica has not received formal education in painting, she makes use of the tools available to her to continue the learning process. She enjoys researching mediums and techniques, as well as visiting with other artists. And of course, trial and error experience has been invaluable.
In June 2014 she decided it was time to take the next step and make art her career. She quit her day job and found her creativity was blossoming. She faced new challenges after having three children between 2016 and 2019. While time for painting is far more limited, she finds the support of her family invaluable as she continues to pursue her dream.
Her work is an eclectic mix of primarily abstract images as well as some landscapes. She draws inspiration from nature, her travel experiences, as well as simple line and color combinations. She hopes to evoke an emotional connection with her viewer, both with the landscape and abstract images.