Create. Capture. Collect.

About the Artist

I am an abstract artist and photographer based in Florida and have been a creative since I was 14 years old — more than 30 years later, I haven't stopped evolving as an artist. My background in interiors photography has helped shaped me, with a strong appreciation and understanding for aesthetic, design, art, architecture and especially homes.
I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UNF studying photography, ceramics, painting, multimedia, and graphic design and was later an adjunct professor at University of North Florida teaching Layout & Production.
Being a business owner, I have worked in design, photography, styling and even textiles for my entire career. Most artistic fields bleed into each other — they intertwine, intersect and even compliment each other. Early on, I realized I am multi-passionate, so I’ve explored many facets of the art world.
ARTIST STATEMENT | My approach to each subject is rooted in respect and curiosity, composing images that ideally evoke a twinge of nostalgia and real emotion. My intention is to invite the viewer to step inside a photograph, or piece of artwork and find themselves absorbed into a different place or time. My hope is that presenting my images at a large scale encourages that sense of immersion.
I move through life as an organic observer — even a good listener — but sometimes the words won't come. This work, however, lets me fill the void. Art can be subjective, and my goal is to inspire people to escape someplace familiar or new, recall where they’ve been or where they hope to go — to indulge in a moment of wanderlust and discovery of the self. I hope this work connects in some way with those who view it. I'm grateful to those who accept the invitation.

SAY HELLO - CONTACT ME

Jessie's commercial photography work has been featured throughout the pages of Traditional Home, House Beautiful, HGTV Magazine, Coastal Living, Beautiful Kitchens & Baths, Atlanta Homes, Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Home, and more. She’s also contributed photography to coffee table books. Recent national campaign work includes providing photography and/or food styling for QVC, Napa Cellars Wine, Outback Steakhouse, Publix Bakery, Winn Dixie, Hudson Valley Lighting, Romp & Roost® and UFM Underwear®. Celebrity chefs include “Chopped!” - winning Chef Adrienne Grenier, as well as Kenny Gilbert from Bravo! TV’s “Top Chef.” She was recently named one of the "best food photographers" by peerspace.

TO VIEW COMMERCIAL PORTFOLIO, PLEASE VISIT THIS SITE

H E L L O T H E R E

let’s create

something

beautiful together

I would love to work with you on a unique commission painting or special fine art photograph, Please fill out my contact form and let’s get in touch to create a custom, one of a kind piece of artwork especially for you.

Jp-(003).jpg — My long and winding creative journey.
Growing up as child of the 70’s and 80’s in quintessential Florida, I spent alot of time playing outdoors, drawing, using my imagination, making up skits and acting them out with my sister and neighborhood kids. We danced, swam, put on plays, made bad commercials on VHS tapes and wrote stories. Our dad owned an Advertising agency, and he let us be a part of his world, including us in his agency life, marketing pitches, and computers. My mom let us redecorate our rooms, she cooked amazing meals with us and was the ever-perfect hostess with beautifully decorated tables with a strong love for art and home, which she has passed down to us. We were the first family in our neighborhood to have a VCR, a computer, a microwave and I think we were even the first of our friends to even know what the internet was, all thanks to our dad. We were “early adopters” before that was even a thing. I grew up with a love for gadgets, movies, art, story-telling, the ever changing technology and both of our parents always let us explore our creativity and fostered that from a very early age. My sister ended up going into medicine. I became an artist.
*Here’s my story.*

1994 - 1999 | I went to UNF for college. I started in Journalism and really didn’t care for it. So I switched my major to graphic design and took all art electives: Photography, Drawing, Sculpture, Painting, Multimedia, Layout & Production. I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. I was very much in my element and loved college. During that time, I also worked in restaurants, worked with a DJ company, was a nanny, taught at a dance studio and was also on the UNF dance team.

1999-2000 | I had already graduated from college at UNF, but was wanting more. I applied and was promptly denied getting into Film School at FSU, I’ll chalk it up to no experience, even though I’m still a little bitter about that (kidding) About this time, I found out about Full Sail, which had just came into existence. I was this close to starting their program in Orlando for film, but started dating someone and I decided I didn’t want to leave just yet. Oh yeah, I will later marry than guy…and also saved myself about $50k in student loans. Win, Win!

2000 | I started working at a few companies out of college as a Junior Graphic Designer. It was basically data entry, in a cubicle from 9-5, for me, it was sheer torture. So somehow, I decided at age 22, with only one freelance client, virtually no experience, I would start my own business on my then-boyfriend-now husband’s at home computer. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking, but that says a lot about my entrepreneurial spirit and I’ve been a business owner since then!

2000 | Aside from starting my new business designing logos, taking (some pretty bad) photos, creating brochures and very rudimentary websites, I was an adjunct professor at UNF teaching graphic design. Pretty sure I wasn’t qualified, but still it was fun for a semester or two and I did love it! I continued to dance and teach students at a studio and for two years I was a choreographer and dancer/cheerleader for an Arena Football team, The Jacksonville Tomcats. During that time, I took photos of the team, designed their website, put together a calendar, and helped with marketing.

2002 | After my husband and I got married, we moved to Texas for his job and so basically I had no choice but to leave my business and clients behind. Twenty years seems like a lifetime ago and the technology back then to do anything other than where you lived was pretty non-existent., especially for small businesses. Oh, and I was also 8 months pregnant with my first baby when we moved away, so I didn’t have much energy to keep up a business from many states over. (Very different times!)

2003 | Our son, Luke was born and I decided I was going to be a wedding photographer. I got my first digital camera, took out an ad in the Perfect Wedding Guide, persuaded my unmarried best friend to pose in my sister’s wedding dress for photos, made myself a website and found the sweetest couple to trust me to take their photos, on their most important day of their lives! What was I thinking? Well, I continued to be a successful wedding photographer for about a decade. (fake it till you make it, right?)

2005 | Congrats if you’re still reading, by the way. Our daughter, Nora, was born in 2005 and we also moved to Orlando that same year, again for Dan’s job. I had already shot over 50 weddings in the Dallas/Forth Worth area and I continued doing this in Orlando, along with baby and family photography. This was my primary business, along with creating holiday cards, birth announcements and stationary. I even ended up having some celebrity clients through an online stationary business.

2006-2009 | We moved back to Jacksonville to be close to family! I still continued shooting weddings for a few more years, along with family photoshoots. This was a great business for many years and for our family schedule, so I could be a mom during the day, and shoot on evenings and weekends. But then it got to be I was never available on the evenings or weekends to do anything other than work and weddings had really taken a toll on me. So I pivoted and decided to go back into design.

2008-2012 | My dad and I went into business together (he had always had a successful Ad agency). We started a full service design, marketing and photography company. We built websites, wrote copy, provided SEO, commercial photography, marketing, and even taught conferences for small businesses. We had a thriving business for many years together and the best part was I was working with my dad and now that our kids were older, I was able to work while they were in school and had my nights and weekend back. It felt perfect…until it wasn’t.

2012 | At the end of 2012, my father passed away unexpectedly. We had no warning and of course, our world was shattered. To be honest, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I threw myself back into work, but I was deeply grieving and struggled for a year or so with holding this business together, but I knew I needed to move on. Little by little, I gave work away, referred other agencies, said no to new projects and decided that I needed a change. My heart just wasn’t in it anymore without my dad alongside me.

2013-2021 | I’ve always kept up photography during my entire career, whether it was family shoots or commercial photography for clients. I was asked by Andrew Howard if I could shoot interior photography. I said, of course! Well let’s just say I have come a long way since my first interiors shoot and have learned so much about lighting, styling, architecture, editorial shoots, interior design, magazine publications and then some. I am still enjoying being an interiors photographer, shooting for magazines, campaigns and designers. Most of my design clients today purchase my fine art for their projects.

2020 - Present | Well we all know what happened in this year. (sigh!) Panademic hits. Lock down, no photoshoots, no travel, delays, many rescheduled shoots, unreliable work/income, anxiety ensues and so again, I pivoted. I started this online shop selling my fine art prints, and most recently abstract paintings. I have always taken landscape photos, painted, drawn, and have had some kind of creative outlet even though I was in a very creative field. I have even used painting as a way of therapy and coping with loss. I decided to pursue this further by taking online art courses and I am now excited to offer you fine artwork for your spaces.

Thank you for being here

Everyday is different.

To give you some insight into an artists’ mind, well, it’s never the same. I love the description of having 100 computer tabs open all at once. Yeah, I would say that’s about right. I always have projects going on, and I love that each day can look different. Don’t take this pie chart to heart, it was a fun graphic and just wanted to give you a day in the life of how it is to be a creative entrepreneur. Enjoy!