I am so thrilled to be on Helen Powell’s beautiful blog Design Hunter and wanted to share her post with you on my blog.
Jessica Zoob is a Sussex based contemporary artist whose social media profile engagingly reads “I swim in wild water. I climb craggy mountains. I gaze at clouds. Then I paint.” Her powerful impressionistic paintings have been described as Monet-like, poetic and elemental.
I’ve followed her on Twitter for a while, but it wasn’t until I came across an interview with her by Hannah Young who blogs at Things I Thought Of that I realised I’d actually seen Jessica’s work at Wool House at Somerset House a little while back. Here it is against a dramatic midnight blue backdrop in a room designed by Mary Fox Linton.
I’m hugely honoured to be hosting a giveaway of one of Jessica’s limited edition prints here on Design Hunter this week, but more on that later. First, back to Hannah’s charming post about Jessica’s journey as an artist. It’s so beautifully expressed that, rather than attempting to summarise it here I’d encourage you to find a few minutes, put the kettle on and read it in it’s entirety – you can find it here.
After reading the interview I got in touch with Jessica myself to chat about her work and find out more about her latest projects and honestly, she is every bit as warm, friendly and delightful as Hannah’s post suggests. I can completely understand what prompted Hannah to write “I’ve only been sitting in her living room for five minutes and already I am thinking that I would quite like it if Jessica Zoob was my aunt, or my godmother, or something.”
What comes across most strongly from our conversation is how intensely passionate about her work she is – she feels “compelled” to paint. It’s a passion she describes as sometimes even bordering on a “mania” in this inspiring short film clip on the Decorex website which reveals an insight into her studio process.
She began painting in 2000 after combining the relentless schedule of her work as a theatre designer (a job she “absolutely loved”) with the demands of being the mother of two young children led to something of an epiphany and she realised that something had to change. She hasn’t looked back.
The journey of her paintings is a long one and it can take up to eight years to complete a collection. She works in oil paint, applying successive layers and then waiting for them to dry over a long period of time before sometimes risking all in applying the final layer.
“You have to be brave, and be prepared that you’ll lose and ruin the work” she says.
2013 has been an incredibly busy year for Jessica. She’s worked with Mary Fox Linton and David Linley and is currently exhibiting in the Loughran Gallery‘s summer show alongside acclaimed British artists including Marc Quinn, Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst. (For those who can’t make the show in the north of England there’ll also be a pop-up gallery at Box Park in Shoreditch in August).
She’s also currently creating a series of architectural sculptures in collaboration with Swarovski which she will be showing at Decorex in September, as well as working with Romo on a new range for their Black Edition to be launched in Paris in January that will include cushions, linen, wallpaper, scarves and candles.
And on top of all that she’s just launched an online shop selling original miniatures and limited edition prints.
Perhaps above all it is beauty that is important to Jessica, and this is something she actively strives for in her work. Hers are the sort of images that you want to invite into your home to gaze upon, lose yourself in and enjoy.
GIVEAWAY
Design Hunter is offering one reader the opportunity to win an A2 limited edition paper print of their choice by Jessica Zoob (worth £225).
To enter take a look at the limited edition prints available in the shop- there are 38 to choose from. Then click on the ‘enter’ link below to tell us which one you’d choose if you are the lucky winner and sign up to Design Hunter’s monthly newsletter.
Good luck!
Thank you so much Helen! XXXX
About Helen
Helen lives in Warwickshire with her husband Graham and their whippet Albert, and along with Graham she also edits and curates Obsessionistas, a website about the things that people choose to love and collect.
Design Hunter reflects her love of simple, modern, emotionally engaging design.
If I was lucky enough to win, I’d choose Midsummer Dreaming