Jess Stone Likes Art That’s Tactile

New Anderson Artists Guild member Jess Stone has been artistic all her life. “I never wanted to do anything else,” she said.

She has a bachelor’s degree in art (emphasis in drawing) from Clemson University and a master’s in drawing and mixed media from the Memphis College of Art.

After graduating, she did artist residencies until eventually landing a full-time position teaching art in Spartanburg and later part time in Anderson District 5. But she left to work part time with the Smart Arts Program in Greenville, where she’s paired with other teachers to incorporate art into the regular curriculum. For example, she has worked with an algebra class to create encaustic compositions from their graphed equations. “Kids love it,” she said. “I’ve never done a unit where they’re not sad when it’s over. Even kids who don’t like art like art.”

Her own art has evolved over the years. Early on, she was a printmaker doing woodcuts. “I was always interested in the tactile parts,” she said. “When I carved into wood, I would want to frame the wood.”

She started making textured collages before discovering encaustics, which entranced her like nothing else. A series completed late last year involved hand dying cut paper flowers with India ink, then dipping them into wax. Next she attached them to wood panels. Then she drew and cut out birds and moths, dipped them in wax over and over, etched designs into them, and attached them on top. “I’m inspired by patterns and nature,” she said.

For more information about Stone, visit https://www.jessstoneart.com/.