Celista Bay | Mid century inspired collage Collage

Jessica Whiting is an abstract visual artist from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Like many abstract artists, Jessica’s artistic aesthetic has evolved drastically over the years. As a graphic artist in the mid-2000s, her pieces where rendered entirely digitally using hundreds of layers over each other. At this time she was inspired by the “cutting and pasting” of existing images to create entirely new image. When abstracting a small piece of something and compiling it with many other different pieces, the subtle (and some not so subtle) emotions embedded in the textures, curves, architecture and shapes of each form can together tell an entirely new story. In later years, Jessica had created mixed-media pieces, again using layers upon layers, creating non-digital versions of her once digital-only technique. This method has included acrylics, inks, paper, transfer and pretty much anything else that creates interest. What peaked her interest the most in this process was the somewhat accidental capture of organic movement. When left in the hands of gravity and chemical reactions, dyes and pigments can perform incredibly beautiful movement. This was the story her paintings where looking to tell. In 2018, entirely focusing on this new technique of inks, dyes and pigments, Jessica has been practicing a “painted by nature” approach which has resulted in intensely flowing, organic shapes, colours and textures. “Generally, I begin with an experience I want to capture. Maybe it’s a Midwestern dreamer’s view of a Hawaiian sunset in 1960s or a new found creek deep in the Canadian Forest that seems untouched and yet teaming with life. Whatever experience I feel a powerful emotion from, I choose colours and medium that could reflect this. Then, I let the universe play it’s rules of gravity and chemical reaction, in most cases, with minimal interaction on my part. I witness the movement in the process and attempt to capture it when it embodies the emotion I’m hoping for.” Jessica Whiting has recently been recognized in a Saatchi Art collection. To view her current available collection, visit: saatchiart.com