Web: https://materialworld.studio

Bio:
Born and raised in New York, NY, Jessica Beels lived and worked in Washington, DC, for 37 years before moving to Louisville, KY, in 2022. She has an undergraduate degree in art history (Harvard University) and a master’s degree in Early American Decorative Arts (University of Delaware Winterthur Program). Her applied art training includes fine art and craft courses at the Corcoran School of Art (Washington, DC), Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Deer Isle, ME), and Penland School of Crafts (Penland, NC). She has shown and sold her work at art galleries and juried craft shows throughout the U.S. and teaches workshops out of her Louisville studio.

Artist Statement:
A dedicated accumulator of odd bits and creative media, I repurpose discarded materials to make sculptures and installations that draw observers in to take a closer look and reconsider their assumptions about how we value the utility, beauty, and worth of the stuff we encounter in our everyday lives. Most of my work includes fiber and textile techniques, transforming familiar materials into intriguing forms referencing mathematics and biology and how humans interact with and impact the world around them. I hope to spark a sense of wonder as well as encourage people to be more mindful about how their decisions impact the planet.