We were lucky to catch up with Jessie Read recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jessie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I teach an art class for kids each week. I have a group of boys and girls aged 6-9. We talk about the ‘Old Masters’, I introduce them to all sorts of materials from paint to clay to pipe cleaners and everything in between. My goal is to teach them something about art, obviously, but I really try to teach them that you are allowed to go ‘outside of the lines’. Seriously. Do it. Go outside of the lines – think differently, use different materials, close your eyes, paint with your opposite hand, incorporate words, mix colors, bend the rules, create. I love to see what they come up with. It’s brilliant and uninhibited. We have fun, it’s loud, it’s messy and it’s meaningful. As Picasso said ‘every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up’.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Jessie Tristan Read. I am a contemporary abstract painter. My father is an artist. I remember following him around his studio as a child, pigtails and all -I still follow him around his studio when I visit him now (minus the pigtails). I have always been fascinated by colors and shapes. I paint to create a playful balance of depth and intrigue, using variations of dry media – pencil, charcoal, pastels, acrylic paint, and multiple mediums, on canvas and paper. If music could become painting, a canvas would appear to be a free-form, flowing, and rather eccentrically-directed river of expression, tight and sharp, but completely free at the same time. I’m successful when I stop thinking and just let the painting take over.
What problems do I solve for my clients.? I believe that art solves problems. One painting can change the mood, it can start a conversation and it can be the center of attention or balance an entire room. When it comes to buying art, I always tell people to buy what you love, you will find a spot for it.
Something people should know about me is that I love repainting vintage furniture. I recently restored an old cabinet piece, and I’m currently putting the finishing touches on a bedside table that I painted borrowing from my ‘LINES’ series. It’s pretty cool if I do say so myself.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I knew what a great resource other artists can be. Ask questions, listen to what they have to say. They know what they are talking about. They have been there before.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I had left my ‘real’ job, and was just getting back into painting. I was trying different things, using different materials, finding my escape in art again. A friend came by and she loved some pieces so I gave them to her. Then she told me that her friends saw them and really liked them. I kept working constantly. I reread about the artists I studied in college and all of the new ones since then. I tried new techniques. I practiced creating similar pieces consistently. Then I overheard a good friend mumble (not a very nice mumble) and roll their eyes when someone else complimented one of my pieces. I think about that everyday, and it’s great. That image is my reminder to never give up. Rejection is going to happen, and that is fine. But don’t give up. No excuses. Get into the studio and keep working hard.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jessiereadart.com
- Instagram: @jesssietristanreadart
- Facebook: jessietristanreadart
