We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Dalrymple recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

At age 6 my friend and I set up a table in my driveway selling pictures for a nickel, my first collector was the “mailman.” Ten years later I took my first painting class and loved it. Because art felt easy and natural while other subjects felt difficult and because my shy disposition leant itself to quiet alone time, an artistic path in life was always clear.

However, it was not clear how to move to New York City, pay rent, meet peers, and become a professional artist. I began my artistic journey by painting sets for theater and commercial display while simultaneously gaining skills and understanding towards a career as a fine artist.

Between commercial painting gigs I focused on my art practice. I carved out a studio space in my Greenwich village apartment attaching shades to the ceiling so I could pull them down around the “studio” to separate my work and home. Thirty years later I continue my studio practice in Brooklyn, NY.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m an artist, a teacher, and an environmentalist. My work is inspired by nature and the landscape. My recent work celebrates nature in the city and advocates for urban green space, green infrastructure, and biodiversity. My artistic practice is twofold; making object based artwork and creating art events that engage people with nature.

My artwork consists of oil paintings and mixed media pieces and the art events incorporate nature journaling, plein air painting, and botanical drawing, with plants foraged from local green spaces.

I enjoy doing commissions, murals, and creating art events for people and organizations whose vision and values about nature align with my own. I especially love tapping into my passion for urban nature, natural histories, rewilding, and maps.

I’m happy to bring artwork to a client’s home to see how it feels in the space or create a custom piece for a specific spot. I also like repurposing previously created artwork into something new, this often results in mixed media mosaics and collages. For example, I am currently working on a commission that will pull a painting from its frame, glue it to an 8 foot barn door, and paint a historic map behind it. I view everything in my studio as either a finished piece or material for a future artwork, whichever comes first.

One thing that might set me apart from others is my understanding and curiosity about my subject matter; plants and landscapes. I earned a certificate in Horticulture from Brooklyn Botanical Garden in 2022 and have been volunteering for local conservancy’s and working as a horticulturist for a decade. I once painted a rain garden in my neighborhood that I had also weeded, planted, and cleaned. And if I make a visit to a client’s house to deliver art I also enjoy consulting about their garden or house plants.

I am most proud of the grassroots environmental activism and education that works in tandem with my creative practice; the volunteer work and the art events I’ve led for communities that focus on their local landscape.

I would want clients/followers to know that I value attention to detail and use eco-friendly materials and techniques. Also, in contrast to this fast moving digital age, I work slowly and am patient with how an idea or a composition evolves, sometimes the initial design and research may take many months or a year, however the actual execution/painting goes quickly.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

”Nature In The City” has been my dominant theme since 2007 and my recent mission has been to advocate for the natural areas of New York City; parks and green spaces.

My current in-process series; “New York City Natural,” creates portraits of NYC green spaces to showcase their beauty and ecological character. This body of work invites viewers to consider New York City as a landscape, one with 1,700 green spaces and 29,000 acres of parkland with stunning sky, forest, and water views. By appreciating and nurturing these environments we can help mitigate climate change and create a better future for ourselves, our city, and our planet.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the most rewarding aspects is creating public art events. For example, leading Mindful Nature Journaling Hikes through NYC parks. Both the immersion and journaling allow people to connect more deeply with nature which results in them experiencing calmness and inspiration. The hikes also instill an appreciation for urban nature and help create accessibility to these natural areas. I especially love when people travel from other states, counties, or boroughs to see a New York City park; this past summer a young lady took 2 buses from Bushwick to Alley Pond Park in Queens, another young lady drove from White Plains, NY to a hike in Staten Island’s Greenbelt, a mother daughter combo came from the Bronx to Brooklyn to visit Prospect Park for their first time, and a couple came from Stamford, Connecticut to Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan.

Another rewarding aspect is when an art sale also benefits a non-profit whose mission aligns with my own. Last spring “City Growers,” an organization here in Brooklyn auctioned off one of my pieces at their annual fundraiser. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jessicadalrymple.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicadalrymple/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.dalrymple.792/?show_switched_toast=0&show_invite_to_follow=0&show_switched_tooltip=0&show_podcast_settings=0&show_community_review_changes=0&show_community_rollback=0&show_follower_visibility_disclosure=0
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-dalrymple-048221a/

Image Credits
Miska Draskoczy Keturah Bishop Jane Thorngren