Many choose to be an artist; for some, art chooses them. Though she always drew and painted, Manhattan native Jessica Frederick had planned for a career as a special education teacher. After her graduation from Iowa’s Grinnell College, she began working with children, utilizing art-therapy while continuing to draw and paint for herself. After an exceptionally prolific year she was persuaded by friends and family to exhibit her work at The Gallery Upstairs. Not only did her pieces sell, but they also attracted commissions from a number of prominent corporations and private collectors. This exhibit redefined the role of art in Jessica’s life, allowing her to embrace herself as a painter.

Jessica Frederick’s work defies easy categorization. Working in acrylic, ink, and pastel, she blends traditional subject matter with unexpected drama to create a distinctive style characterized by her passion for naked expression and an emotional bond to her subjects.
A defining element in all of Jessica’s work is that each painting embraces the history of its process; the heavily layered surfaces allow traces of the under paintings and drawings to break through. She bases her work on contour line drawings, repeatedly rendering her subjects on one surface, to capture the essence of her subject matter. By reshaping the surface with scribbles and drips the image is spontaneously resculpted. Her use of lines is contrasted by densely painted areas, which provides each surface with a unique sense of balance and psychological substance. Individual details engage the viewer in an off-kilter way but work together to form a strong and compelling harmony.

n her recent collection of animal portraits, Jessica demonstrates her emphasis on creating an intimate connection between her painting’s subject and the viewer. The gentle directness of these pieces subtly confronts the viewer and creates an emotional reaction that transcends conventional animal portraiture.