Jess Black

Born near Chicago, Jess has lived all over the United States. As a child teachers began singling out Black’s school art projects as something special. Black, who is a self-taught artist, was considered by many a prodigy and became acclaimed for large scale murals. By the age of 14 Black was commissioned to do mural work in Des Moines, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Dallas. These works have been published in Better Homes and Gardens and Builder Architect.

After abandoning a strict religious upbringing Jess moved to New York at age 17, and soon after arriving was signed by the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency and quickly booked campaigns all over the world.

Art was never far and Black continued to paint for a growing list of private clients in New York

In 2010, Jess became committed to art as a career and moved to Los Angeles for new inspiration. Within a month he had booked his first solo show in downtown Los Angeles, which sold out in two weeks. Demand for his work and time began increasing.

Black's work has been commissioned for corporate and hospitality collections. It has also been featured in national publications, including Juxtapoz Magazine, Paper Magazine, Avenue Insider, and Art World News. Some of his notable c...

I have no formal art education. As a result I paint constantly to educate myself how mediums interacts with substrates. My art is a direct reflection of who I am at the time the art piece was created. The following is a statement I made about this process.

"An artist’s journey is typically not an easy one. Creating is where I focus my energy and express my emotion. Expressing emotion in “normal” ways does not always work for me.

Without art I am lost. I create to be happy or express sadness the way you laugh or cry. I may still laugh or cry in the moment, but to purge the emotion I must create. My emotions are then bared on canvas for all to see. This is who I am. I have no choice.

Art is very personal. Owning a piece of art is tantamount to owning a piece of an artist’s heart. Or at least it should be. I hope you cherish your newly acquired art or find new respect for a piece you’ve had for many years. You may never truly understand what went into creating it.

Private Residence
"The Restructuring of Tides"
Malibu, CA
August 20, 2016

Live Astro
7303 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
April 2015

The Gateway Gallery
Cooper Building Design Space
Los Angeles, CA USA
July 2014 - August 2014

Modern VideoFilm
Santa Monica, CA USA
January 2014 - May 2014

Moein Art Gallery
Laguna Beach, CA USA
September 2013 - October 2013

Private Estate
Beverly Hills, CA USA
March 2013

Leather Bound in Black or Red
International Virtual Show
February 2012 - March 2012

David W. Street Art Gallery
Beverly Hills, CA USA
June 2011 - August 2011

Coastline Art Gallery
Huntington Beach, CA USA
February 2011

Jeanie Madsen Art Gallery
Santa Monica, CA USA
December 2010

Jeanie Madsen Art Gallery
Santa Monica, CA USA
October 2010

(Sub)urban Home
Los Angeles, CA USA
April 2010

Lancome National Conference
Des Moines, Iowa USA
November 2009

Gallery 310
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
May 2009