A Connected Line

About

May 25 - June 30, 2024
Closing Reception: Sunday, June 30, 4-6pm

'A Connected Line'
Jess Frederick 

I am fascinated by what we can know in a gaze, how connection is silently communicated and privately understood by the viewer. I am interested in the complex characters of living beings and the connections we share with the world around us. I want to visually articulate the unspoken yet meaningful exchanges between all living and nonliving things.   

My work frequently showcases subjects whose outward stare or postural gestures engage the viewer in an off-kilter way, emphasizing the unsettled wonder of these non-verbal exchanges. They can suggest glimpses of empathy, tension, and calm.  

In my work I want to illuminate these ephemeral exchanges without imposing control, offering the viewer opportunities for pause, contemplation, imagination, and most importantly connection. For me, this is the most remarkable gift of art.

By leaning in to the uncertainty of these exchanges, we open ourselves up to an opportunity to reflection, introspection, and understanding.  

As a self-taught artist, I take pride in blurring the lines between paintings and drawings. I love line and the psychological power of marks. I work in acrylic, charcoal, pastel, ink, and cut paper. I don’t make preliminary studies: I begin with an idea and immediately move to express it. I enjoy the ability of these continuous adjustments to surprise. I layer a web of energetic lines from which the essence of my subjects emerges. I often use hot water to then deface the surface and reveal ghosts of underpainting. Then, I simplify and focus the forms and enhance the details. The end is a layered work poised between chaos and calm.

- Jess Frederick

Gallery Hours: Thursday - Sunday, 1 - 6pm, or by appointment: 718-783-4438