My work explores magical realism, seeking the extraordinary amongst the commonplace, looking at the same thing from different perspectives.

Found Momemts

Rooting myself in realism, I combine intaglio print and pinhole photography to record time and place. The very nature of using pinhole photography as a starting point requires consideration about what is important to document and hold on to.

The unexpected is often revealed and the commonplace can be transformed: fleeting moments are captured, details are lost and added, building a playful narrative of a particular place.

Informed by childhood memories, my work is about the act of reaching out for something familiar, even if that moment has already changed or vanished. The slow exposure of pinhole photography captures the passage of time and conveying a sense of nostalgia, tangibility and loss, acting as a talisman of the moment.

Forgotten Moments

Memories constantly thread throughout my work, blurring what we see and what is no longer there.

From old family photos, I consider what was important to the photographer and the stories that led up to the moment the image was captured.  These photographs, like the landscape, hold memories that link us with the past, anchoring us to the history of a place.

I Remember Nightfall

Inspired by Marosa Di Giorgio’s “I Remember Nightfall”, my current set of etchings are an exploration of poetry, memory and my relationship with a familiar landscape, particularly when light fades and boundaries become blurred and surreal. The work will explore a space between recollection and dream.

Jess studied at Goldsmiths College of Art, London and has been a member of Spike Print Studio in Bristol since 2006.