ABOUT JESS

I am fascinated by what we can know from a gaze or a gesture, and by how connections are silently communicated and then privately understood by the viewer. My goal is to articulate these unspoken yet meaningful exchanges between all living and nonliving things.

These ephemeral moments inspire. Often ineffable, my work seeks to express pause, contemplation, imagination, and, most importantly, connection. 

I am self-taught, and I take pride in blurring the lines between paintings and drawings. I love line and the psychological power of marks. I work in acrylic, charcoal, pastel ink, and cut paper. I don’t conduct preliminary studies: I begin with an idea and immediately work to express it. I enjoy the ability of these continuous adjustments to surprise. I layer a web of energetic lines from which the essence of my subjects emerges. I often use hot water to then deface the surface and reveal ghosts of underpainting. Next, I simplify and focus the forms and enhance the details. The end is a heavily layered work poised between chaos and calm.

WHY SHEEP?

I am drawn to sheep by their weirdness. Their unusual shapes and uncanny stares prompted me to create a series of paintings articulating these features.

ABOUT JESS

Jess Frederick is a native New Yorker who innately understands its frenetic pace and extraordinary textures. Born in Brooklyn and raised on the slippery, glitter-dusted cobblestones of the 1990s Meatpacking District, Jess returned to Brooklyn’s Crown Heights shortly after 2001. 
Foregoing a traditional art school education, Jess graduated in 1997 from Iowa’s Grinnell College with a BA in the Humanities.  It was an act of New York serendipity that offered her first exhibition.  This exhibit redefined the role of art in Jess’s life and started her on the artistic path. Jess focuses on creative collaborations in fashion, self-produced exhibitions, and private commissions. Exhibitions include KODA at St. Ann’s Church and previous and upcoming shows at Five Myles.