JessBarnett

My artwork is principally focused on experimenting with color, texture, and various media. However, it also reflects my lifelong longing for spiritual truth.

I am perpetually exploring the areas around me, remaining ever curious about what I observe. Part of me believes that someday I’ll come across a gate, a hidden door, an archway – something that leads me to another land. I am always searching for it. This longing is often reflected in my paintings.

The botanicals I gather during my wanderings often become bookmarks once I’ve pressed them in my plant journal. Some of them become part of pieces that I’ve already begun working on. I see them as a form of stamp or engraving that enhances the painting around them.

My first source of inspiration regarding my artwork was Stephen Gammell, who illustrated the first several Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The trailing lines in his drawings, the dark strands leading to… where? first unnerved and then fascinated me. As a result, I’ve had a lifelong love of invasive species such as Japanese knotweed – even while realizing how destructive it is – due to the trailing vines it leaves in its wake before moving on to conquer another innocent tree.

Above: Two pieces by Stephen Gammell

I remain deeply inspired by Andrew Wyeth, who once stated, “I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape. Something waits beneath it; the whole story doesn’t show” [emphasis added]. The feeling of hiding, lurking, within some of his pieces both intrigues and excites me.

Above: Flourmill (1992), Andrew Wyeth

When I began painting in 2004, my work was monochromatic, with precise yet ragged strokes that I marked using only black, white, gray, and red. More than 20 years later, my work is primarily interested in exploring the microcosms that are created using various colors, textures, and media.

Media I use include acrylic, watercolor, latex, and gouache paint; acrylic and watercolor ink; homemade ink made from plants (pokeberries, black walnuts, etc.); pastels; colored pencils; plant matter (leaves, flowers, stems); thread; book pages, including a German bible; prayers from a prayer toaster; and found/discarded media, such as cast-off ribbons, cigar bands, ashes, and cosmetics.