Original Artwork
I began drawing ocean life 6 years ago after I moved 30 miles from the beach in Florida in 2019. Over the last couple of years, I have transitioned into drawing animals of all kind and most recently a couple of pieces of Deland Florida. Each of these pieces was created using a variety of pencils and powered graphite on Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper.
Angels on my Side is the first piece I completed in my ocean life series in 2020. It is 20"x24" and took me roughly 80 hours to complete. I wanted to capture ocean life in a way we don't traditionally see- in black and white. I love birds and it fascinates me that they can dive into the water to get food; I enjoy watching this act when I'm at the beach. When I first began this piece I was dealing with many challenges in my life due to personal issues in relationships. I'm so thankful things have calmed down.
I drew Now that it's all Behind me in 2022 after I saw a sea turtle in Ponce Inlet. I had never seen one in the wild before. It was such a cool experience, I knew I had to draw one. The title of this piece is co-titled with the next piece, I'm Just Going to Enjoy my Day. These titles are from a song that has meant a lot to me over the years. The first few lines of the song are:
"Now that it's all behind me
I'm just going to enjoy my day
So good vibes come to find me
And bad vibes never come my way"
I'm Just Going to Enjoy my Day is 27"x17". I enjoy spending time at Disappearing Island in Ponce Inlet; I used to love sitting in the shallow water in my beach chair reading. One day, I was minding my own business and I got stung by a jellyfish. I was shocked! The incident left me thinking about how quickly a perfectly nice day can change out of the blue - and how it's up to us to decide if we're going to let it ruin our day or not.
I learned a lot while working on this piece. I knew I wanted to achieve blacks, but hated the texture the pencils left on the paper, it was also never black. I tried powdered graphite I had bought at my local art store and I still couldn't get it dark enough. So I decided to make my own powdered graphite by grinding up a 6B piece of solid graphite on sand paper and then using a makeup sponge to apply it to the paper to achieve the blacks.
Regeneration is 19"x29" and was completed in 2023.When I start a piece, I look up the spiritual meaning behind the creature I'm drawing- an octopus represents regeneration and renewal; they can grow new tentacles, escape from any trap, and change into most shapes. Little did I know just how much I would relate to an octopus while I was working on this piece. Let's just say I was a different person when I started this drawing and "Regeneration" is a perfect term for how I felt after.​
Synergy is 22"x29" and was completed in 2023. There is no other creature on the planet that can move with such balance and precision at such a large body size. Manta rays create an impression of an animal that is fully in control of its life- much like we all strive to do. They also teach us that when we stick together, we're stronger and we too can flow with ease.​
"See my shapes shifting
See my heavy burdens lifting"
Afterglow is 19"x29" and was completed in 2023. Cuban tree frogs are abundant in Florida; That being said, I felt humbled to have one live on the light outside the front door of my house. There was usually just one, but at times there could be up to 3. My main objective with this piece was to capture a brief moment in time before taking the leap. Life was good while I was working on this piece, I started a new job, picked up a plant hobby, made lots of improvements to my home and met someone who reminded me there are still good people out there. To me, this piece is not only an accomplishment as an artist, but a celebration of the personal work I’ve done to be someone I’m proud of.
Had Enough is 19x29 and was completed in 2024. I chose to draw a hawk because they have a presence about them that, to me, signifies strength and determination. They have incredible eyesight and are agile, intelligent and resilient. If they see something they go for it with an unmatched intensity. I chose to call this piece “Had Enough” because through this last year I set out to better myself. My motto was “do better Jess”. I had enough of my anxiety and financial turmoil.. and at the end of the day I just wanted to be comfortable being myself. I was ready to move forward with determination to create a better life for myself.
Friday Nights in Deland is 22"x17" and completed in 2025. Anyone else wake up with off the wall ideas?! One random morning in March, I woke up suddenly with this idea that I needed to draw Deland. Immediately, I was puzzled! Deland!? I was confused because I’ve drawn mostly portraits and wildlife- not a landscape in sight since 2009. After laying there contemplating how I might achieve this, I thought of the DeLand Artisan Alley Farmers Market. For those of you who don’t know, downtown Deland hosts a market every Friday night on Georgia Ave and Artisan Alley. I, myself, have set up a booth at this market for my dog portraits. I had a very successful night that launched me into drawing dog portraits full time.
When I was trying to visualize how this drawing might look, I thought I have to capture the area where I set up my first art booth. I’ve also always felt the alley was cozy at night with the lights and the atmosphere. I, of course, had to capture this beautiful mural painted by Courtney Canova and his family.
Intermission in 22"x17" and was completed in 2025. The Athens Theatre gives so much life and richness to downtown Deland! Ive always enjoyed walking up to the theater and admiring the architecture and lights.
I originally decided I wouldn’t fill in the marquee and poster so that the person who purchased this piece could customize it. But after I received the first round of prints I realized that this piece looked silly without the posters and marquee not filled in So I went into a stressful deep dive about theater and what the Athens represents in our community to be able to complete this piece.
What I concluded is the Athens theater is a timeless piece of architecture that has a rich history. It is a place that houses memories, experiences, community and the Arts. Most recently, it has sparked controversy in Volusia County over a silly, but relevant controversial topic- self expression in the LGBTQ community. There was a huge part of me that wanted to put “Rocky Horror Picture Show” in the marquee and draw the matching poster as a big “F you!” to the people who think they can decide how we express ourselves.