Joy Painting

British artist based in Portugal and UK. Born in London into a theatrical family, Jessica Dunn was encouraged by her actor parents to take her own artistic path. After relocating to the Algarve, to enjoy the fantastic southern light and laid back pace of life, she has remained in Portugal, where she paints full time in oils and acrylics. Full of light and contrast, Dunn’s abstract landscapes reflect her passion for the beauty of her surroundings. There is a depth and richness in her work, inviting and intriguing. Jessica Dunn has exhibited in galleries and museums in Portugal, the UK, France and Italy. Her participation in SIAC (the International Symposium of Contemporary Art) at the Guarda Museum resulted in an invitation to return in 2020 and her work remains in the museum collection. Dunn’s paintings have been featured in Hello! magazine, Wall Street Journal online and World of Interiors magazine. "Alternating between oils and acrylics my abstract landscapes are a direct emotional response to my surroundings, inspired by land, sea and sky, always highlighted by the wonderful sunlight of Southern Portugal. I paint intuitively, laying on paint and scraping off repeatedly until a story begins to emerge. Working on several pieces at a time, moving from one to the other with fluidity and energy, a rhythm develops… For me it´s about the paint and the expressive marks created, which gradually evolve into something familiar, an idea or a place, imagined or remembered. Through colour and tone, strength and sensitivity, I try to create a feeling of depth, both physically and psychologically, with a focus on light to draw the viewer in, and spark the imagination."