The Construction of Creation

Now It Is On!

2010-03-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

I have been living in this world for the past two years trying to get my bearings so that I can project my passionate concern for humanity outward. I figured out where I needed to be, and more importantly who I needed to be around to have the conversations and interactions I need to have in order to project my voice as loudly as I can to make a difference. That place is the University of Michigan. I just found out I was wait-listed... and I can't imagine that anybody who wanted this even half as badly as me would turn down such an amazing opportunity.

I applied and interviewed with an awareness of what my general focus would be over the next year, hopefully within the community of people who were interviewing me. However, I had not had the input or conversations that I needed to have had for at least two years before I interviewed. After the brief input I received from Anne Mondro, Brad Smith, and Phoebe Gloeckner, my ideas have already started to become clearer. The summer will be all I need to get myself ready for this intense and amazing opportunity. I want to be around these people more, after what a difference 30 minutes with them made!

I want to make people aware of their biological processes on a regular basis so that they will take care of themselves, hopefully creating a significant increase in independence from over the counter medicine and significant medical intervention.

I don't know what will happen, all I know is, "now it's on"! I will find a way to be an influential part of this community with my art no matter what happens, I just hope the University of Michigan will give me the opportunity and help to make that happen.

Beta Bird

2009-09-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

4' x 2'
oil, acrylic, and vellum on wood

This painting is comprised of easily over 8 detailed layers.

I started off letting the patterns in the wood inspire me. I think of it as a way to alter the existing organic patterns in the wood.
I know the wood is already altered because it is compressed into this board to sell to consumers.
My first layer is usually organic imagery.

My second layer is usually more methodical in an effort to contain and compartmentalize the organic layer (nature).
I usually do this by painting white stripes. I use the color white to show that the contrived layer (man) is trying to take over and create a new clean sanitized controlled space. It it the construction layer, the structure to be built upon.

The next layer is a layer of white to continue covering the organic space and building on the man made structure. However, I usually like to leave behind evidence of each layer so the viewer can easily dive into the layers of the piece to reconstruct it.
Then to mimic what happens in the real world, I start to let the organic imagery(nature) creep back onto the contrived structures. This time the organic imagery is usually a little more contrived because it has a fresh unnatural underlying structure to grow on.

And more organic imagery, as nature starts to take over and obliterate the structure like roots taking over an abandoned building.

Then more linear imagery to push back on nature.

Purple stripes to create a more inviting space while still creating a controlled environment..

I turned the painting upside down because I felt the forms were stronger and more believable.

This is the last documented picture of the process until I was almost done painting the bird, because at some point I couldn't help but get sucked into the world I was creating.

I put blue around the forms in a very flat solid application, but after I was done doing that they seemed too stuff. So further into the process I made the space inside the blue borders less clear to give each flower form more of its own atmosphere. I also did that to give the forms more movement to make them feel more alive, so they didn't look so static.

I hope this post gives you insight into how a piece of art can be made. There are countless approaches, and even more decisions to be made throughout the creative process, and these were mine.

**edit** I just posted an 8" x 17" inch print of Beta Bird on Etsy for $35. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31029575

smART show Recap

2009-09-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

I had a really good weekend at the Wicker Park smART show! I brought way too much art with me, but luckily there was enough space to put all the work up since I curated my space salon style.

There was more work, but I was generously given two more spaces to hang my work.

I also had a 3 shelf makeshift table with lots of prints.

This was my first year doing the smART show so I was tucked away in a corner out of the way, but we got good traffic anyway.

The best part of the show was meeting 3 really cool people who I shared the space with.
Laura Etheredge http://www.lauraetheredge.com who does super detailed drawings with black microns that take not 40, not 50, not 60, but 70 hours to complete in some cases. (her bigger pieces) and Justin Urso http://jzuphotography.com who showed some amazing photographs that transported the viewer to Japan, where the series he displayed were taken. So check them out!

I was invited to do first Fridays at the Flat Iron Building on 1579 N Milwaukee and I will be there along with Justin and Laura, so come see us, we are funny, just listen for the laughter!

In other news, I just posted my first print on Etsy www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30844412

and I was featured in Wicker Park's e-newsletter Pipeline!

Hand Painted Business Cards

2009-09-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

I made some hand painted business cards for a show I had. I was going through my pictures and thought they were good enough to post, so here they are.

Digital Detail

2009-09-04T19:54:00.000-07:00

I am working on 2 digital pieces for my show. This is #2
My computer froze once after working on a lot of the hair!!! I am learning to save every other minute!

4 Growth Spurts

2009-09-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

I have been working on 3 different pieces all day... here is a few spurts of progress on one of them.

I'm In Love

2009-08-30T00:12:00.001-07:00

I decided to put Chicago's skyline in the painting. I was so overwhelmed by all the directions this style could go in when I started I had a hard time focusing. Now I have a direction. And away I go.

WIP3

After working on it a little more the next morning.

WIP2

with digital painting.... !!!! I have been working on this all night, and I have to go to bed because I have to work tomorrow morning, but I don't want to stop

but I have to.

This is in progress (of course) and I will post new version tomorrow night.
The image of the girl is from a figure drawing session I went to the other day. (Check earlier post)

I feel like I can really go layer crazy with this new style... SO EXCITED!

WIP1

Getting Ready For The smART Show

2009-08-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

I am going to be in the annual smART Show at the flatiron building September 11-13!

Here is a peek at what I am working on.
I predict they will transform quite a bit over the next two weeks. I am excited to see what will become of them!

I am working in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and marker on almost all of them.
I have a definite color theme going, consisting of mainly pinks infected with some limey greens.

***EDIT*** 8/30/09

I am really seeing these paintings in a new light since I have been doing more digital painting. I think painting in photoshop really allows me to bring my ideas to life quickly without worrying about messing the painting up. This allows me to appropriate the successful digital techniques into my traditional work!
I think combining digital and traditional media exemplifies the struggle between the organic and linear imagery in my work.

Here is the latest progress...

Digital Live Figure Drawings

2009-08-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to go to a figure drawing session with my tablet! The buses were all sorta crazy so I missed the fast gesture drawings, but I got to draw/paint 3 poses. The model was really awesome too.

5 minute pose

10 minute pose

Long pose, I think it was anywhere from 45-60 minutes

I toyed with the idea of doing this in color, but decided to stick with black and white.
It took me a bit to adjust all the variables; brush size, opacity, flow, canvas size... and so on
At first I started blocking out the pose with white, then I erased with a lower opacity to expose the background color.

For the last drawing I stopped using the eraser and just used the paintbrush at a lower opacity and flow. Next week I am going to go back and start with a darker background and a better strategy and see how I improve. I am going to watch some time lapse digital paintings on you tube to get some pointers on my digital painting technique.

Digital Painting #2 WIP

2009-08-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

I am back from a week away from home. I started my second digital painting today. The last digital painting was done using Painter 11 and this one was done using Photoshop. I'm really having a good time with this new digital painting. Its so forgiving and the tablet is very natural to use. I still love my tangible mediums though.

I'm headed back to a more narrative way of painting while exploring lighting.
I am going to be editing this post as I work on this image to add the most recent version.

So I am addicted and can't stop working on this, but alas I have to get up early tomorrow so here is where I leave it for the night! Aug. 21st 2009

DAY 2

Under the waterfall I am starting to work in some stained glass architecture.
I think taking out the grass gave me a lot more room to get creative so the image didn't have to be stuck on the ground.
I wish I could work on it more tonight, but I have to work tomorrow. I am really addicted....

First Digital Painting

2009-08-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

Early morning train ride to Michigan. A four hour train ride turned into 8 hours. We had to go 15 mph for 2 1/2 hours because of flash flood warnings. So I took out my newly acquired Intuos 4 tablet and gave it a whirl. I decided to draw from life and there was a guy sitting one seat across and one seat down from me that looked like Alfred Hitchcock. So I started my first digital drawing.... he ended up moving after about 10 minutes to the seat next to the window and put his blindfold on and fell asleep.

WIP's for Sept. show

2009-08-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

I have a show coming up Sept. 11-13 at the Flat Iron Building. For details go here: http://www.smartshow.org/

Here are a few of the paintings I have been working on for the show.

This one is only a few days in the making and has tons more transformations to go through. I am figuring this one out as I go...

Ink, watercolor and a bit of acrylic and micron. Also needs a lot more work... but I like it a lot so far...

Downtown Chicago Condo Murals

2009-08-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

So I have a big mural/faux finishing job coming up in September. She is quite a lovely lady. She didn't think she was being very clear with what she wanted but luckily vines, roots and organic imagery is right up my alley!

Here are some small little watercolor sketches I have been doing to prepare.

My idea for the closet doors in her bedroom. There are two sets of bi-fold doors on either side of a mirror. Her carpet it cheetah print! I painted this as one solid image and split it up in photoshop. Now I think I need to take the mirror in the middle into account when making the half circle. It seems awkward to me now. I'm working on an updated design now.
p.s. I also hid some feline shapes in this image.

***edit* 8/24/09***

Digital Sketch for the closet mural. Colors may vary depending on screen.
The bottom won't be quite so digital I am going to fade the look of the cheetah print carpet into the bottom. Also the gray divider in the middle is the mirror.

I'm going to take elements of this image and appropriate it into the final bedroom closet doors mural. The rope looking design on the top just happens to match her crown molding.

This one is for the kitchen. I am also going to split this image into 1'x1' squares and make it look like ceramic tiles.

I made this one as an alternate possibility for the kitchen. She loves the way I did the grass so I incorporated it into the closet mural.

I am also going to be doing some faux finishing on a 128 sq. ft. wall in her living room, a wall in her bedroom, and the crown molding in her bedroom, living, and dining room.
I'll post WIP's of the job.

Figure Drawing class

2009-02-03T20:14:00.000-08:00

My first drawing 'session' in ages. This was a 20 min pose.

The Journey into 3-D

2009-01-17T20:45:00.001-08:00

This is a sampling of some of the work I have done in the last year or two.*edit* (scroll down to see images, this post is longer then I expected it to be) :)
Stepping back I start to see how the work connects. Last year I was introduced to Maya and I really took to it, but once I got out of the class I went back to my comfort zone of making work in a physical tangible space. Maya can be really overwhelming. Months went by and I continued working with photography, painting, attempts at sculpture and collaborating with nature (she was not into collaborating this winter). Graduate school applications were coming closer and I did not feel I had a big enough portfolio of paintings. Then I realized that I don't want to just paint in grad school and that I need images that somehow fall in line with what I want to be doing rather then what I did in the past.

So I tried a few experiments with nature. I did a project last winter that capitalized on the cold weather also: http://jessicajoyart.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html
This time I wanted to make colored icicles in perfect cone shapes and install them around the neighborhood and document how they melted and became more natural looking as nature took over what 'man'(or me in this case) had done. That didn't go too well, but I am willing to try it again next winter...

Eventually I decided to try out Maya again. I was initially very nervous about picking it up again, and I didn't think I would remember how to use it. What still baffles me is that I was actually able to use it BETTER then I had before.
The new work I made with Maya ended up becoming a very natural progression of what I was doing with my traditional media. I posted the images in a sequence below that would illustrate this progression.

Most of what is posted below is what I sent along for my Grad portfolio as well. I'm not sure if I should say where I applied, but wish me luck!

I also just signed up for twitter. You can see it on the top right of this blog. Come follow me on my journey... :)

scarlethawk & JJ collab

2008-10-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

I had the amazing pleasure of collaborating with Anna Scarlethawk http://scarlethawk.deviantart.com
I have admired her work for years and so this was a dream come true... no seriously it was. She is an awesome girl!

We worked for a little over 5 hours on this watercolor painting.

Active Transport (Green tape)

2008-10-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

First layer of layers is finished!

vessel w/ toxic greens

2008-09-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

So I started another layer using oils... The rigid acrylics were stifling me.

The first layer was done in watercolors, 2nd layer acrylics, and now oils...

vessel

2008-09-10T12:37:00.001-07:00

I have been working on this the past day or so on my days off trying to turn it into something I am interested in now rather then finishing what I was thinking when I started this painting. I frequently end up slowly layering over older paintings/ideas...

I am trying to make this one really clean looking as well...

Green Tape/Transfer of Potential Life

2008-09-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

Decided to focus on this painting today. I have about 6 others I am working on at the same time. I am really trying to get a lot of detail into this one and make it look clean...

Then as you can see I decided to go over the right side with white and make another layer... you can't see however, that the white is made of of little tiny squares...

October show in progress...

2008-09-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

So I have been working on this one on my two days off. I started it in NJ last summer and brought it with me to NY and now its in Chicago. It needs many more layers, but here it is now...

I am going to have about 11 original pieces in the Andersonville Arts Weekend
and many prints... so this is one of 11 that I am slowly finishing!
I am thinking about adding a figurative element to it.. what do you all think?

and this is one of the other paintings I am actively working on!

Green Tape

2008-08-03T07:26:00.001-07:00

So this experimental painting has been put on hold due to commissions, a full time job, and needy people, but its one of the next paintings I will be attacking so watch out for more progress. In a previous post I put two pictures of its progress and have forgotten about my poor bloggy since. This painting is experimental because the materials and mediums I use are not the usual for me. In this painting I first put down green tape in stripes (thinking I would take them off in the end) and then just started playing around with black india ink while going for an organic feel. I like to layer orderly straight lines vs. organic imagery, and it seems to be a theme that drips loosely throughout my work. Anyway, then I went into it with liquitex fluid gel medium and some powdered pigments that I mixed together to give its atmosphere if you will. Finally i put in more details with white and started selectively taking off the tape. (See previous posts to see how that developed!) (please).

Who knows what I will do next! Not me!

Smiling Wisdom

2008-08-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

Another commission that I am working on. I decided to do this one with watercolors on canvas. I am really loving how pooling pigmented water in the right spot can turn out to look like a realistic face. This is a technique that I have not really used for portraits before with watercolor. I usually like to have more control, but the effects of letting go is exciting!

pixelating the snow

2008-02-24T20:48:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I posted this a while ago, but i must have been too busy to write anything about it. I'm a bad artist I know... but I am here now and can give you a little insight on the project.

I was taking this sculpture class at SAIC see, and we were instructed to install an installation outside (in the winter). My fun idea was to break down the way an artist or machine sees things and make it available to the greater population. So I walked along lake Michigan and took really close up pictures with diopters on my camera (like magnifying glasses) of the snow.
Then I downloaded the images on my computer, zoomed in on them and broke them down into pixels and observed that snow isn't really white, as I already knew of course. Snow's color is affected by its surroundings of course, and its temporary traffickers such as dogs and humans, and further more what they leave there.
So with those colors in mind and the idea to pixelate the snow I started thinking....

and what I came up with were approximately 300 sandwich bags, food coloring, and water. oh yeah.. (made in my apt)
there were so many kinks in that plan I did not foresee... leakages, weight, leakages while letting the bags wait, so I had to do most of them right before I was to take them to the lake. Luckily I had a friend with a car and manly muscles help me out.
Once i got there it seemed like everything would go fabu, but 10 min into it I realized my mittens (I didn't have gloves) were not letting me have good enough control, and so I had to take them off, and then my fingers froze handling wet colorful sandwich bags, so then i tried to put my wet hands back into my mittens and back and forth until the fun was over! HOORAY!
and the images above are the result... thats my story and I'm sticking to it!

new work...

2008-02-24T19:41:00.000-08:00

Acrylic Ovals

2007-11-07T23:25:00.001-08:00

This is a project i did for a doctors office in NY. I designed the concept and/of the ovals and had them cut on a CNC router. (They are made of a dense acrylic material) Then they were delivered to me and i painted on them with acrylic paint. I built up many layers over time in my aunts basement while discovering Harold and Maude late at night on TV.
I hopefully will eventually get the images of the last two...

Saturated Creation

2007-11-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

5 panels that I cut apart that ended up being 5' x 9 1/2

2007-09-04T18:08:00.001-07:00

Roll out the canvas!

2007-08-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

DAY 1

DAY 2

Ink experiments

2007-08-12T10:46:00.001-07:00

Decided to orientate the image this way instead. Color will be coming soon.

Ink experiments day 2

2007-08-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Decided to add a figurative element to this one. The figure should be a little less noticeable when its all said and done. Also, I know my pictures suck, and that I need to take the images outside where I will have more even lighting. I will do that for the final images I promise, if not sooner.

Ink experiments

2007-08-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

While I am waiting on my order of canvas to come in I am starting a new piece made up of four pieces of bristol board. My inspiration is of course Tiffany Glass.

Watercolor on Canvas day3

2007-08-08T13:27:00.001-07:00

I have started adding some detail now.... I have am idea of a radical new layer, but I am waiting for my canvas to get here so I can experiment beforehand.

Watercolor on Canvas day 2

2007-08-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

Watercolor on Canvas

2007-08-04T03:12:00.000-07:00

My new series will now commence in the form of watercolors on canvas! It is my new discovery, and I am in looooove!

New Series

2007-07-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody!
I am now comfy in NY, and so I have gotten to work on my new series.
Right now I am working on bristol board with microns, othe various markers, and water colors.

The Weavers

2007-07-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

My wonderful sculpture buddy, Allen, made the sculptures from an actual cast of a couples' bodies and I painted them!
Now that is custom art!
Go to my website at http://www.jessicajoyart.com to contact me for inquiries.

Mural 2 Finished!

2007-06-07T15:29:00.001-07:00

mural day 3

2007-06-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

Mural #2

2007-06-05T19:02:00.001-07:00

Mural #2

2007-06-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

Mural

2007-05-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

painted people parts

2007-05-06T20:58:00.000-07:00

next layer!

2007-04-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

fine detail

2007-04-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

Now I am hand drawing in some detail on the resin pieces before adding more layers...

layer2 1/2

2007-04-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

new resin pieces in progress

2007-04-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Face Painting Experience

2007-04-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

To Whom It May Concern,

Here are some examples of my facepainting/painting on people skills.

Glowing Petri image

2007-04-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

I am uploading this image so you can see it glowing from the sides better. I will get better pictures soon no worries!

Project Petri finished

2007-03-31T05:14:00.000-07:00

more to be said later...
Hope you enjoy!

New pics of the Soul Plant

2007-03-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

A place for my petri dishes

2007-03-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

Petri Dishes galore

2007-03-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is just the first layer of paint and resin... 90 of them... they are going to be set up with lights under them in a technological flower box.... you will see!

here are the plans from an aerial view

resin

2007-03-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

resin in progress

2007-02-28T23:37:00.000-08:00

experimenting with resin...

Gone crazy

2007-02-17T22:56:00.000-08:00

Here is where I went crazy and sanded it..

and we can't forget about the feet!

new batch update

2007-02-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

Now there are two pairs of feet!
Next up, mucho mucho patterns!

Two Souls detail...

Sqaure Batches

2007-02-17T11:15:00.000-08:00

So I have a bunch more paintings going...

Foot Swatches

a detail of one pair..

even closer..

Another big painting that has three layers so far...

My two souls painting (yes, I am still working on it)
I am projecting big changes for this one today!

There are two more, but I will include them when I plan on working on them more...

Self Portrait 2

2007-02-03T21:26:00.000-08:00

For this one we could only use earth tones. So no blues or greens and such. It had to be life size again and we had to paint an earth tone ground to start with.

Two Souls (extended crit)

2007-02-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

Well I didn't really get to have my work seen last wed so I was told to bring it in monday. So I am working on it more of course.

Day before crit...

2007-01-30T18:55:00.000-08:00

i'm in a rush so i am just going to be posting pictures in any random order right now from this batch...

detail

2007-01-29T23:14:00.000-08:00

Two Souls (wing beginnings)

2007-01-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

I like it better turned this way now.... still working...

Two Souls painting in progress

2007-01-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

Painting on the outermost layer right now for the most part....

Two Souls taped

2007-01-27T16:26:00.000-08:00

So I put some awesome tape on the piece so whats next...

Two Souls 2

2007-01-25T19:26:00.000-08:00

I am attempting to set up a space to photograph these in progress pieces so that it looks better and so I don't have to crop the painting. So far its oil and graphite on wood. More physical layers are being made in another room, but its a surprise!

Self Portrait Finished

2007-01-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

I received a 9 out of 10 on this assignment. More pictures of my other painting to come!

Charcoal Self Portrait 3

2007-01-20T21:43:00.000-08:00

Just some last minute touches left...

Charcoal Self Portrait 2

2007-01-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

Amost done!

Charcoal Self Portrait

2007-01-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

I was afraid my last self portrait was too big and did not follow the guidlines of life-sized so I had to make another smaller one. Here is a picture after about and hour and a half to two hours of work...
I am only using a charcoal pencil on illustration board. I am challenging myself to not blend the charcoal because thats what I usually do and I want to make something realistic exclusively with lines for the most part.

Two Souls

2007-01-16T15:22:00.000-08:00

This is a narrative piece pertaining to the coming together of two souls. I am just working on the first layer. It has the blue splotches because I used this piece of wood as a palette for previous paintings and the paint got through the plastic I had over it. I think it will add to it nicely though.

Self Portrait Day 2

2007-01-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

Self Portraits

2007-01-12T20:07:00.000-08:00

My last semester has started and its time to paint again after a little two week berak!
One of my side assignments is a self portrait every two weeks!
The first one has to be in black and white and has to be life-size.
Here is the first stage...

Portrait

2006-12-22T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a simple portrait I did of Peanut and her momma for christmas...

Merry Christmas everybody!!

Murals

2006-12-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the catching up idea, here are some images from a mural I did a couple of weeks ago in south florida.

This was one lion in the "Daniel and the Lion's Den" room

Detail of the face...

The other lion..

The Lion and the Lamb room...

David and Goliath

Some cool coral..

Nifty Scroll...

On with the show

2006-12-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

To help get us to the here and now I will carefully dump a bunch of art that I have done on here and anything significant to accompany it.

Fantastical Spaces

World of Wisps

Peace Amongst Chaos

So here are three biggies that I did in the last year and a half. The first two have been sold and the last one is still for sale.
The next ones I am posting were done within the last three months. I submitted images of them to the studio program which I mentioned in my first blog.

Recombinant Visions

Construction of the Soul

Microcosm of Creation (envronment 1)

Vulnerable Creation

Microcosm of Creation 2 (environment2)

Alter Me Experience
I think this one is going to need a whole entry to itself...

Microcosm of Creation 3 (environment3)

You can see these images bigger here : http://jessica-joy.deviantart.com
More catching up to come!

Introduction... ahem

2006-12-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

Hello I am Jessica Joy and sometimes referred to as pocketable one because I am a fairly small human being...but I have a huuuge imagination and I plan on spilling its contents into this blog for you all to see.

I will be graduating in May of 2007 with a BFA and then heading off to NY to persue my destined career as a successful artist.
Right now I am living at home for a total of three months to get my health back in order before I go back to Tampa to finish school, but I have been doing tons of painting. I just applied for an art studio program in NY at Smackmellon studios and if I get in that would be amazing. I have a piece of art in the Smithsonian in DC,

and I had one in the Kennedy Center in DC for a month. Thats all for now while I figure out how to use and customize this thing. Have a wonderful day and stop by soon...