Artist Interview: Jessica Terry

Interviewing "one of our own."


Over a period of a couple of days, I had a chat with my friend, colleague (we work for the same company), and fellow DbFP contributor Jessica Terry about her art.


Foreign fairy tales and video games inspire Jessica Terry. Jessica is a local Dallas art student and musician who is currently studying art in all its aspects. As of this moment she is not a well known artist (yet) as she is still a student but is content with just getting her thoughts alive on canvas or whatever medium she fancies at the time. She has shown in several art galleries in Dallas such as H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery, The Kettle and Hal Samples Gallery. (At current all shown pieces have been sold). The next show for Miss Terry will be a group show at the MAC in uptown Dallas TX. The show is being called 'XV'. The exhibit will open August 1st at 5:30 p.m.. The exhibit will be open until August 29th. For purchasing, requests/commissions or any other inquiries contact : jessica.terry@gmail.com


The following interview happened over the course of three nights on gchat, and have been edited slightly. ...


Jessica: (with regard to the idea of photos of works in progress) I knew the documentation of my work in photos would be useful for something.


Patrick: Yeah, I'm all about the process stuff.


Jessica: Yeah same here.


Patrick: What's the saying? Sometimes the journey is just as if not more important than the destination... with any kind of art, I think that's true. For the most part.


Jessica: I agree with that... or at least it has been that way for me.

"Elepants Phobia" Sculpture in progress

"Cash in Space" in progress

Patrick: Well, it's always nice and fulfilling to finish something, but you're never AS connected to something as when you're in the process. Everything after that is hindsight. It's the same way with writing stories or poetry. Like, I look at some of the shit I wrote in hs and freshman year of college, and some of the stuff is so embedded in events and thoughts and reactions that I can't even remember... it's hard to decipher. There's a disconnect in that. I mean, sure, I wrote that stuff, but it's not the same me.
Jessica: Yeah.


Patrick: I imagine it's like that with anything one creates.


Jessica: It is. It is also very hard for me to let go of my artwork.. and sell it but that is what I have the photos for.


Patrick: Does that have to do with the difficulty in replicating pieces? I would imgaine that a photo is hardly a substitution for one of your sculptures.


Jessica: I thought so at first but it feels like giving a something personal about myself away.


Patrick: I understand that. Hell, Will Self says that when you read his novels, you know more about him than you could by meeting him and spending prolonged periods of time with him. Something about intimacy. Because the art is something you do when no one else is around.


Jessica: Exactly .. it is weird is a way to feel that way.


Patrick: It makes a lot of sense... but then, what exactly inspires you to create? And why should we care?


Jessica: I kick general ass in art.


Patrick: Well, I enjoy large healthy egos. So, tell me, do you remember the first time you ever tried something artistic?


Jessica: My grandmother was an artist and taught me to oil paint when I was five. Not sure why she did that since oil paint is toxic....


Patrick: Anything come of that?


Jessica: I am not sure of any abnormalities, but I love to paint.


Patrick: Okay, I want to talk about two of your pieces. Specifically "Elephants Phobia"* and the "Cash in Space" painting. Can you explain the genesis of these works and also detail where they've been showcased and where they are now?


Jessica: The elephant was conceived from an Asian influenced phase in my artwork with a color palette from a dream I have had often. It is not so much the elephant but the colors and shapes I want the viewer to see.


Patrick: I notice there's lots of curve to it. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of sculpture, but it always drew my eye in the gallery. Some of Borofsky's stuff at the Nasher does that to me as well.


Jessica: I tend to put curves in everything I create. Organic shapes with curves I have found are something we as humans can relate to.


Patrick: I do like a curvy lady.


Jessica: Well there is a sexual element that draws us to organic shapes and curves.


Patrick: Yes. There's not a whole lot of straight lines in the human form to begin with, sex only adds another dynamic, what with the shape of genitalia, etc.

"Elephants Phobia" complete. Sold for $200 in the private collection of Mrs. Vickie Walker. Can be a commissioned for the same price in other colors. Shown at the H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery.

Patrick: Was the piece shown anywhere besides H. Paxton Moore?



Jessica: Not currently but it has been sold and I have been commissioned to make more by other clients. Cash in space was created for Hal Samples english bulldog "Cash". There was a fundraiser show to help the sweet pup with expensive vet bills related to chemo it needed. I cant say no to anything that cute ... It was shown at the upstairs "space" section of Hal Samples Gallery and auctioned off for the cash's benefit.

"Cash in Space" complete. Auctioned at an undisclosed price. Shown at the Hal Samples Gallery.

Patrick: That reminds me of the basement punk shows where bands would play to the benefit of struggling friends. Art and punk... go hand in motherfuckin' hand.



Jessica: Yeah it was similar to that.. We also had a band performing and shooting a music video there..



Patrick: are there any big time artists that you really can't stand? Since we here at DbFP are negative nancies. Haha!

Jessica: Yes but if I were to name her it might jeopardize my current job position but I can tell you she shows in New York and has a pedigree of art schools in her bio and an ego bigger than what she craps out and calls art.



Patrick: Some people are assholes, and some art sucks dick. Call me a cynic. Please.



Jessica: :)



Patrick: I always try to look at the bright side.

*"Elephants Phobia" is accompanied by a smaller piece. A mouse. I never noticed this before, but it can be seen, as close to scale as possible, in the completed picture.