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Jessica Powell
BIO
Jessica Powell is a Baltimore based artist and educator. She works mostly in watercolor and oil painting mediums; however, enjoys the exploration found in layering and mixed media. From portraiture to landscape, Jessica investigates how to merge what is observed while delving into the world of fantasy and allegory. Her experiences as a mother have influenced much her work as she documents the ever-fleeting moments of childhood. This fascination with movement and time has influenced her most recent work. Playing with hundreds of layers of watercolor, she explores the various personas one can have and the relationships that influenced these. Themes of mortality and symbols found in nature also play a role.
Jessica has worked in public education for 13 years as an Art Educator. She is currently the Figure and Painting teacher at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts. She works closely with students to help them foster the same enthusiasm she has for art making. Working in the classroom has offered her the chance to not only influence young artists but it has given her the reflections needed to better her own work.
STATEMENT
The fascination with movement and time has influenced my most recent work. In Bird Call, I explore the various personas one can have and the relationships that influence these. Using symbols from nature and the environment, I have explored a personal narrative while leaving the meaning up to the viewer. Color plays a huge role in creating a mood in my work and connecting the portraits visually. I also use color to communicate how the personas in my work relate to one another. My process includes hundreds of layers of watercolor that are applied to create movement. In both the portraits and the environment, I am interested in the impact of opacity, from the opaque areas of reality to the more translucent representations.
- Jessica Powell
Phoenix, Maryland
