Welcome! I'm Jessica Greenfield, an artist, designer, and educator based in Boone, North Carolina.
Artist Statement:
“The tiny, glowing world of metrics cannot compare to this one, which speaks to me instead in breezes, light and shadow, and the unruly, indescribable detail of the real.” — Jenny Odell
At this moment, I am witnessing an over dependence on virtual existence — we are drawn to the glow of screens like moths. This shift leaves behind the body, and along with it our place within the more-than-human, wider community of nature. The field of design, of which I am a member, is largely responsible for this shift through the construction of algorithms and interactions that prey on our unconscious. In response, I reclaim my body and its ability to connect intimately with the natural world, specifically the landscape of the Appalachian mountains where I live.
My process always begins in the land, paying close attention to the plant and animal beings around me through my senses. I remember myself as a small child — plunging fingers into the dirt, fondling the mosses, listening to the birdsong — and walk through the woods around my house with the same openness to encounter. By working collaboratively with nature, I create opportunities to recalibrate our attention and senses away from the constant stimuli of the digital and toward the nuance of the real. Richly layered surfaces and undeniably tactile materials beckon the viewer to slow down and be present. I enthusiastically engage in gestural mark making and craft traditions to access the haptic intelligence of my own body.
About Jessica:
Jessica Greenfield is an artist and graphic designer, working fluidly across the threshold between the two. Her work explores the expressive capacity of human gesture, building intimate relationships with physical materials, and collaborating with the more-than-human world.
Jessica is currently an Assistant Professor at Appalachian State University where she teaches an embodied approach to graphic design, encouraging students to work with their hands through sketching, collage, drawing, and printmaking. She has also taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, Arizona State University, and UCLA Extension. Previous to joining the Appalachian State faculty, Jessica accrued over 10 years of professional experience focused on branding and publication design as Senior Graphic Designer at both RIOS and Hillstone Restaurant Group. She holds an MFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BFA in Painting and Printmaking from Carnegie Mellon University.
Her distinct practices in design and studio art continually inform each other and she is researching how the conventional methods of the artist can open up new opportunities for graphic design pedagogy. You can learn more by following her on Instagram @jessgreenfieldpainting. For purchase inquiries, please use the form below.