Show 2 : Jessica Rene

Jessica Rene

Medium: Colored pencil

Show: Vol. 2

Fine art has spoken to me my whole life, and through the years I have come to speak through it. I began my formal training under Russell Jewell in 2008 and continued on to the Greenville Technical College to receive an Associate’s Degree in Fine Art in 2013. Through my development, I have methodically worked with portraiture, the feminine figure, still life, and landscape by developing collections of works using a variety of media.

While my favorites remain oil painting on canvas and charcoal with Conte pencil, I have carefully honed my skills in many 2D media. The drive to make art comes from one thing: conversation. During the creation of each piece, I find myself talking to the piece and responding to it as well. Some pieces determine very clearly what they need, while others require such a tedious push and pull. Even after the work is complete, the conversation continues between the piece and the viewer.

Inspiration for my work also comes from conversation between this world and my experiences in it. Something as simple as the sensory exhilaration of light, color, and space can drive my brush across the canvas to create simple works. Lately I have been exploring a more inward conversation that has led to an entirely dissimilar series from my prior creations. While the works of this Hungry series are atypical, there is no less chatter than what occurs with each of my other pieces.

There are signs everywhere. The universe is constantly talking to us. We have to be diligent to attune our ears to what it’s trying to tell us. My process of creating my work signifies this relationship; constant back and forth, trying to discern the nuances that would otherwise be overlooked, and reaping the reward of what that effort brings you.

With this piece, I had the honor of hearing Donny Ng’s story and conveying the emotion of that story through the conversation of my work. As I read through his story, I could vividly envision the appropriate imagery; the calming clarification of duty and bearing amid the swirling chaos of nature. I am honored to communicate this dichotomy through my medium and to bring another dimension of reflection to Donny’s already profound work.