We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessie Swimeley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jessie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My current project is called Botanical Heritage, which is a study of the native plants found in the High Plains Desert. Most of my work centers on plants found in Idaho, where I live.

With the profound rise in interest in our wild spaces, it is important to grow people’s understanding of the fragility and resiliency of our environment. Part of caring for our wild spaces is learning about and understanding the flora native to the area. When people know, compassion grows.

As a printmaker, I use traditional ink-based methods and the historic photographic process of cyanotype to explore the native plants of the High Plains Desert. In my experimental cyanotypes, I explore the connection between plants and their environment by altering the pH of my cyanotype emulsion to create new and surprising colors and patterns.

The Idaho Botanical Garden has generously let me print plants from their collection. In 2024 I will be the Artist in Residence at the City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho where I will expand my work with the native plants of Idhaho.

Jessie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Like most artists, my love of creation started at a young age. My father gave me a film camera when I was six years old. He went on to build us a darkroom and teach me how to develop and print my photographs. That love of capturing light only grew as I got older, and I studied photography in college. I was one of the last classes to graduate from a fully analog program.

Digital photography was fun for a while, but with my analog background I needed more than pixels on a screen, I needed to touch paper and feel my art. In 2019 I started to explore Alternative Photographic Processes. I needed something I could do without a darkroom, in an apartment. Cyanotype was the obvious choice. It is a versatile medium that can be used with negatives or with any object that casts a shadow. Plus, it is a very lovely shade of blue.

Making prints with cyanotype is simple and satisfying. But there is so much more to this medium than just a blue print. The chemistry that makes the photographic emulsion is surprisingly versatile and forgiving. You can tease an incredible amount of color out of this monochrome process. Through exploration and experimentation, I create golds and greens and every shade of blue.

I also love patina and texture. My experimental cyanotype process gives me some amazing textures, but I always want more. I found that using Encaustic, molten beeswax paint, was the perfect partner to add to my work. This also allows me to not frame my work with glass. Leaving the view closer to the art.

Cyanotype printing is also a very accessible and approachable medium. I love teaching workshops to introduce people of all skill levels to the magic of making art. Even people who claim to have no artistic ability are surprised by the beautiful work they create. I hope to give people confidence to keep trying and making art. I feel that our society has put too much emphasis on creating perfection when art is about the joy of creation. You don’t have to be good at something to enjoy doing it.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Early on in my career, I wish I had known how important writing and business skills are to being a professional artist. In art school, we are taught our medium. We earn a rudimentary mastery over skills that we will continue to grow as we mature into our artist selves. We find our voice and our style. Very little attention is paid to how we are going to make a living and thrive with this knowledge and talent. The “starving artist” stereotype is built into our education system from the start.

It is at least mostly true that artists think differently. Business isn’t something that always comes naturally to the person who revels in color, movement, and texture. I know I have had, and still have a steep learning curve to understand the mechanics and numbers of business.

A few years ago I was accepted into a program called My Artrepenure offered by the Idaho Commission on the Arts. This program served bite-sized business chunks in a palatable way changing my attitude towards being an entrepreneur. Concepts that were once out of reach became easier to understand. I now have a toolbox of business skills to draw on to help my art business become more successful.

I honestly write more as a professional artist than I ever thought I would. Artist statements, biographies, applications, and even interviews are all examples of what I have written in the last year. Statements and bios aren’t one-and-done pieces of writing, they are living documents that need to grow and change as the artist grows and changes. Being able to effectively communicate ideas in writing is huge when applying for grant funding, residencies, or gallery shows. Reviewers don’t have long to read applications so being clear and concise is a good way to make sure you stand out. And don’t forget about marketing, there are press releases, advertising copy, and even social media posts are places where good writing is important. Becoming a better writer takes time and practice. It doesn’t hurt to have someone proofread your writing or take some classes or workshops that are dedicated to helping an artist write better.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, there are two things I find most rewarding about being an artist. The first is, of course, the simple act of creation. I bring things into this world that weren’t there before. That’s amazing! I make things out of paper, sunshine, ink, and wax. How cool is that? I love it when all the random elements come together to form something beautiful or thought-provoking.

Sharing what I do is the second most rewarding aspect of being an artist. (I’m not talking about showing my work and having people telling me how great it is, although that is pretty rewarding.) I’m talking about bringing people on an art journey with me and encouraging them to awaken the creative part of them that might be hiding. I love sharing cyanotype with people because it brings a sense of play. I love to guide people on a path where there is really no wrong way to do something. The joy and pride people feel seeing something they created with me is a fantastic reward. I hope that they feel that same spark when they look at their work and it encourages them to keep making creative works. We need more people filled with joy and creativity in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jessieswimeley.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessies6005/