THE ARTIST

My work speaks to my experience of femininity & nature as a Hispanic-American through the materiality and objectivity of paint. I manipulate the material to exist beyond its presumed physicality to acknowledge its presences and natural abilities. Layering acrylic skins and impasto cake decorating techniques to form a painterly collage of sculptural textures. A representation of societies voyeuristic gaze into femininity as deliciously unattainable and sacred.

I find inspiration in the colors, textures, and imagery of Panamanian folk art. Frequently mirroring the sensation of colors, symbolism, & line work of traditional molas. The line work in molas is meant to protect the self from harm & negativity from outside forces. Translating this into my paintings has created a shield for the self from the consequences of unrestrained feminist expression.

PROFESSION

Jessica is a Panamanian-American artist and recent Knoxville transplant. Her career in the arts began in 2005 when she received an Honorable Mention Award at the Scholastics Regional Student Show. She was then invited to participate in the Scholastics National Student Show in New York, where she was awarded the 2005 American Vision Award. This achievement secured her calling in the arts, leading her to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art and study art abroad in Florence Italy. Throughout her career she has received numerous awards, publications, grants, solo & group exhibitions nationally. She continues to advocate for women's rights through her work and exhibitions.

Visit the CV for a list of professional accomplishments

THE WORK

“The consumption of divine femininity, nature & art is my inspiration in creating. My works are both material & delicate with savory textures. A reflection of the embodiment of femininity & nature that is met by the world with an all consuming hunger. Composing impossibly thick, icing like, touch worthy feminine floral elements. A visual delicacy you can only hope to resist the temptation to touch. Speaking to the exploitation of femininity as a pound of flesh to be devoured. My work lives in a world where worth is not of the body but within ones essence. Where femininity is allowed to remain sacred and untouched by burden, blooming into their full potential. Living beyond objectification & allowed to accept our full spectrum of self.”