Jessica A. Williams

May 21015_ WC on WC paper_ 15x18 inches (38.1x45.72 cm)

Painting from collage. The doily was shaded in blue-green, and then its negative space where the table shows through painted with raw sienna.

April 23rd, 2014_ oil from oil pastel and mineral spirits_ 14x15.5 inches (35.56x39.37 cm)

From observation. Here, you can see how the table surface reflects the subjects, and in the left corner, you can see how the light source reflects red from the heart onto the wall and part of the upside down green container. The silhouette of another artist in observation reflects on the teapot as it blocks some additional lights sources behind said artist.

April 30th, 2014_ oil from oil pastel and mineral spirits_ 14x17 inches (35.56x43.18 cm)

From observation with surreal color treatment; cool colors for shade and warm colors for light.

April 29th, 2015_ WC on WC paper_ 18x12 inches (30.48x45.72 cm)

Painting from observation at Jensen Botanical Garden in Carmichael, California. Spring is my favorite time of year to walk this path and sit at the hill at the end of it for a picnic overlooking this island of flowers before various evergreens.

April 29th, 2015_ WC on WC paper_ 17.75x11.38 inches (45.09x28.91 cm)

Painted from photographic reference by, and with permission of, Melissa Davalos. The sea-spray and water rolling off of the rocks was accomplished by a mess of rubber cement that was dried, painted over, then peeled back. It is an off-white blue-green. The rocks were accomplished through many layers of jabbing with a thick-bristled brush coated in paint.

May 5th, 2014_ oil from oil pastel_ 14x17 inches ( 35.56x43.18 cm)

Observational still life. You can notice reflected green light bouncing off of the leaves and stem of the flower, distorted through the vase, onto the back wall and tiles that also reflect up onto the back wall.

May 2015_ ink, gel pen, and watercolor on bristol_ 11 x 14 inches (27.94x35.56 cm)

My unofficial cover for "Where The Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak using my original visual character designs. From this perspective, you cannot necessarily tell that Max (left) is indeed a human, leaving children to interpret that this may be another monster like the one sleeping on the beach (right). These characters do not seem to be vicious however due to body language and bright colors, as to not intend to scare children.

May 2015_ ink, gel pen, and watercolor on bristol_ 11 x 14 inches (27.94x35.56 cm) (x2)

My version of the best scene of my favorite childhood book, "Where The Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. Each character is my personal design. The monsters are anthropomorphic chimeras and Max is a modern child in a wolf-themed hat-scarf-mittens combo, which has become a popular fashion item as of recent years, and wire whiskers taped on with band-aids, as children love to stick them to themselves as fashion statements (which I have learned through years of childcare). Sticking out of Max's pajama pants' elastic is a slingshot, representing Max's rebellious spirit. I depicted the greenery of this world to be just as creative as the monsters in it, so the trees feature outrageous colors, textures, and patterns as might appear in a child's imagination.

November 2015_ acrylic on paper_ non-conforming 22x17 inches (27.94x43.18cm)

Graffiti/ street-art interpretation concepts in color theory. It is painted in a triadic color harmony of yellow-orange, red-violet, and blue-green, blended through raw and burnt umber to keep the hues themselves from mixing and loosing the integrity of the color harmony. This painting shows how tints advance while shades recede, and how colors are intensified when put against black and neutrals. The background is nearly a Griseaille, but uses burnt instead of raw umber mixed with black and white.

April 12th, 2015_ WC on WC paper_ 18x12 inches (30.48x45.72 cm)

Observational painting with surreal, dramatized color treatment and purely hue- no black added.

April 7th, 2015_ ink and white gel pen on bristol_ 12 x 9 inches (27.94x35.56 cm)

Much like my other Hunchback-inspired illustration, I wanted Quasimodo to be translated as almost infantile. You can discern his skeleton by its misshapen spine and deformed bones. He is curled up fetally against the skeleton of Esmeralda, fingers balled and leaning against her rib-cage like a child to the breast. Esmeralda's hand seems to almost reach for his despite laying in death, and her head turned towards him as if to cradle him under her chin, comforting him. A centipede crawls out from his eye socket, his brow-bone enunciated, to leave the impression of tears in mourning Esmeralda's death before curling up beside her to meet his own. Around them, an ink wash represents the darkness of the hole in which they are uncovered, and, along with the contours of the skeletons, creates a subliminal heart.

DATE_ collaged acrylic on paper_ 90x11 inches (228.6x27.94cm)

This is a series of observational studies of various figures painted to illustrate different concepts in color theory. From left to right: 1) stippling on the figure using value to create depth and form; 2) glazing over Grisaille to create depth and form; 3) color neutralization to create depth and value; 4) counter-argument to the concept that cool colors recede and warm colors advance; 5) 10% hue on earth-tone; 6) glazing over Grisaille to create differences in saturation and value; 7) monochrome, use value in color to create depth and volume; 8) color gains power when resting on its complement; 9) analogous color harmony 10) all earth tones to depict depth and volume