From The Fish Factory
Jess Distill | Artist Statement
Having found my passion and talent for drawing at an early age, I put down my pens and pencils in my 20s to pursue a music career. When the pandemic started and live music stopped, I used the opportunity to rekindle my relationship with art, and spent every hour I could learning, relearning and honing my craft. Painting abstracts and portraits in acrylic, and experimenting with printmaking, my art is inspired by nature, literature, philosophy, history and the human condition and explores our relationships with each other and the world around us.
Everything on display in this exhibition was created on, or inspired by, a month-long residency I took part in in Iceland. Throughout September this year, I was squirrelled away in the small fishing town of Stöðvarfjörður, creating art and music alongside 9 other artists from all over the world.
The experience opened me up to new inspirations, new techniques and a greater understanding of what I want to create and achieve with my art.
Some of these pieces are finished, others are works in progress or conceptual pieces to help me build on future ideas. All of them were made with a huge amount of love and joy, and will be featured in much of my work to come.
Instagram @thedistilleryart
Entry is free and the exhibition is open during normal opening hours, please click here for more information. For enquiries about the exhibition space at Trestle, please contact our Gallery Programmer at gallery@trestle.org.uk | 01727 850950