Artist Statement
My work reflects how I see and value the landscape that surrounds me. My recent work celebrates nature in the city and advocates for urban green space and green infrastructure and is inspired by biodiversity, natural histories, and maps. My artistic mission has two prongs; making object based artwork and creating art events that engage the community with nature. This mission stems from the core belief that connecting more deeply with natureand improves health and well being while incentivising greater care of the environment.
My creative process begins by walking an area extensively and learning its natural history (and present state) through research and consultation with ecologists, naturalists, and horticulturists. I also sketch, photograph, and collect specimens on site. Back at the studio I fuse all of the above with memory and digital imagery into compositions in oils and mixed media. In my oil paintings I balance expressive strokes with photo realism to both evoke feeling and accurately document flora and fauna.
Repurposing older works into new artwork is another aspect of my studio practice; this often results in mixed media mosaics and collages. I view everything in my studio as either a finished piece or material for a future artwork, whichever comes first. Also, to reduce my artistic carbon foot print, I strive to be more conscious of my consumption of art materials and create lighter weight works that require less energy to store, display, and transport.
Bio
Jessica Dalrymple studied Fine Art at Hamilton College and trained as a painter at The Art Student's League of New York and studied with prominent landscape painters; Gregg Kreutz, Scott Christenson, and John Osbourne. She has exhibited with many national and regional juried shows and has received numerous awards including the Fenimore Award which granted her a solo exhibit at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, NY. She earned a certificate in horticulture from Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, is a licensed city tree pruner through Trees New York, and actively volunteers with local environmental groups.
She collaborates with organizations to create art events that raise awareness about the local landscape and environmental issues such as; co-creating ArtLab Gowanus, a pop-up structure hosting landscape related art workshops taught by local artists, made possible by the Gowanus Public Art Grant, applied for in collaboration with The Gowanus Canal Conservancy (2015). In 2014 she created a “Plein Air On The Canal” event hosting orgs such as local chapters of The Urban Sketchers and Oil Painters of America on the banks of the canal to capture the evolving landscape. Other events include a Spring Botanical Draw for the Gowanus Dredgers focusing on local vegetation, multiple Botanical Drawing events for The Old Stone House Brooklyn featuring their gardens, and a Botanical “Drink N Draw” event to raise funds for The Human Impact Institute. Most recently she leads monthly “Mindful Nature Journaling Hikes” through New York City Parks.
CV
1-4 Person Exhibitions
2023 New York City Natural; Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Gateway National Park, curated by Charles Markis
(solo)
2022 This Green Urban World, curated by, Jennifer Roberts, The Interchurch Galleries, New York, NY
(4 person)
2021 Nature Contained, curated by, Katherine Gressel, The Old Stone House Brooklyn, NY
(3 person)
2017 Gowanus Landscapes; Past, Present, & Future, Gowanus Dredger’s Boathouse
(solo)
2018 Dalrymple + Gowanus Canal Conservancy, curated by, Jonathan Shorr, 313 Butler Gallery & Rooftop Reds Annual Benefit & Auction, Brooklyn, NY
(2 person)
2017 Urbanscapes & Native/Non Natives, Interchurch Galleries, New York, NY
(2 person)
2016 Natural New York; Landscapes, Urbanscapes, & Many Species In Between, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY
(solo)
2014 NY State Barn Portraits, Smithy Art Center, Cooperstown, NY
(2 person)
2008 Nature In The City, Gallery at 350 Bleecker, curated by, Robinson Holloway, New York, NY
(solo)
Selected Awards & Residencies
2023 Naval Cemetery Landscape; 2023 artist residency
2023 Oak Spring Gardens artist residency/fellow
2020 Gilbertsville Expressive Movement, Gilbertsville, NY, awarded grant & July artist residency (cancelled)
2018-2019 Critical Feedback Program, Trestle Art Space, Brooklyn, NY (w/ Michael Brennan, MFA Professor at Pratt)
2017 Soaring Gardens / Ora Lerman Charitable Trust, artist residency, Laceyville, PA
2016 Brooklyn Art Space (six month artist residency with residency advisor Christina Kelly)
2015 The Fenimore Award, Art By The Lake, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY
2015 Gowanus Public Art Grant ($10,000); in collaboration w/ Gowanus Canal Conservancy
2014 Art’s Advocate Award, Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Brooklyn, NY
2012 Honorable Mention, Mountain Art Show, Bernardsville, NJ
2011 2nd Place Oils & Acrylics, Armonk Outdoor Art Exhibit, Armonk, NY
2009 1st Prize: Best Interpretation Of The NY Landscape, Fenimore’s Taste of The Sublime
2008 Samuel Gates Landscape Award, Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
2008 Excellence in Oils & Acrylics, Fenimore Museum’s Taste of The Sublime
2008 Award of Distinction, Mamaroneck Artist’s Guild
Selected Group Shows
2022 Upstate Art Weekend 2022; A View Into The Woods, Lexington House Gallery, curated by Jill Benson of Ground Floor Gallery
2021 Art For Environmental Action & Climate Justice, curated by, Tracy Penn, New York, NY
2021 Gowanus Night Heron, curated by, Bonnie Ralston & Miska Draskoczy, Brooklyn, NY
2020 Quarantine Artworks, curated by, Sasha Chavchavadze, Gowanus Dredger’s Boathouse
2020 Regeneration In Place, with the Gowanus Swim Society & the Environmental Performance Agency, curated by Katherine Gressel, Old Stone House Brooklyn, BK, NY
2020 18th Street Women An Online Art Show, curated by, Liz Langer
2019 Green, Site Brooklyn, juried by Eva Diaz, curated by, Denise Amis, Brooklyn, NY
2019 Synapses, The Hewitt Gallery of Art at Marymount College curated by, Hallie Cohen, New York, NY w/ The Gowanus Swim Society
2018 Processing, The Old Stone House, curated by Katherine Gressel, Brooklyn, NY
2017 The Four Seasons, Village West Gallery, curated by, Robinson Holloway, Jersey City, NJ
2016 Falling In, Trestle Gallery, curated by, Melissa Staiger, Brooklyn, NY
2015 Quantum Leap, Trestle Gallery, curated by, Katrina LaFranco, Brooklyn, NY
2015 Conversation Pieces, curated by, Andrea Alban, Fenimore Art Museum
2012 Art Show: Bedford!, St. Matthew’s Annual Juried Exhibit, contributing artist since 2005
2010 Eat Art – A Visual Feast, curated by, Pamela Talese, Atlantic Gallery, Chelsea, NY, NY
2009 Theater Town, Gallery At NJIT School of Architecture & Design, Newark, NJ
2009 Hudson Valley Art Association 79th Annual Non-Member Exhibition, Ridgewood, NJ
2009 Annual Non-Member Exhibition, Salmugundi Club, 5th Avenue, NY
2008 The Westinghouse Exhibit, Gallery at NJIT School of Architect & Design, Newark, NJ
2007 The Artist’s American Professional League 79th Nat’l Exhibition, NY, NY
2007 Cooperstown Art Association 72nd Nat’l Juried Exhibition, Cooperstown, NY
2006 The Pen & Brush, Inc. Non-Member Exhibition, New York, NY
2006 Audubon Artists Inc. 64th Juried Exbibition, at the Salmugundi Club, New York, NY
Education
B.A. graduated Cum Laude with honors in Fine Art, Hamilton College, NY 1994
Art Student’s League 2001-2003
Certificate In Horticulture Brooklyn Botanical Garden 2022
Memberships
2021- Present Gallery Particulier (whose mission is to place art in low income communities)
2020 - 2022 - Gowanus Night Heron
2017 - 2020 Gowanus Swim Society Artist Collective
2013 - 2020 Gowanus Canal Conservancy Volunteer Committee Member & Co-Chair
2013 - Present Trees NYC – licensed citizen pruner
2008 - 2013 Embankment Coalition, volunteer/member Jersey City, NJ
Published & Collections
2009 Suny Cobleskill College of Agriculture & Technology acquired Bank Barn II for their art
collection
2010 The Barns Of New York, Rural Architecture of the Empire State, by, Cynthia G. Falk, Cornell University, 04/2012 Jessica’s painting Bank Barn was included in Cynthia’s book.
2021 Gowanus Canal Conservancy acquired Urbanscape Triptych II; Gowanus Canal
2022 Cover Art for City Journal Spring issue
Press Mentions
*Hyperallergic, Colorful & Immersive Expereinces at the 2017 Gowanus Open Studios,” by, Elena Goukassin
“Artists Inspired By The Canal,” by, Caroline Spivak for DNA Info
“Go Gowanus,” Brooklyn Paper by, Sarah Dougan October 2016
“By The River Fumes: Painters Gather to render Gowanus Canal,” by Noah Hurwitz, Brooklyn Paper September 2014
“LikeKnowsLike” blog, featured artist photographed & written by Keturah Davis 2014
“Art for Food Lovers,” by, Charlotte Druckman, New York Times December 2010
“Jersey City Studio Tour 2011”, by Greg Brickly, The Jersey Journal September 2011
“Pictures At An Exhibition” by Even Marx, The Record Review January 2010
“The Beauty of Decay, Two Exhibits Find Art In The City’s Relics”, John Zeaman, Newark Star Ledger October 2010
“Painting En Plein Air”, The Daily Freeman September 2006
“New Artist’s At Colorscape”,The Evening Sun September 2005
Teaching & Events
2017-2020 Trestle Workshops; Instructor; Contemporary Botanical Drawing & Oil Painting 2019-present Mindful Hike & Nature Journaling
2019-present Hamilton College; Guest Painting & Drawing Lecturer/Instructor
2019-present The Old Stone House Brooklyn; Instructor; Botanical Drawing & Plein Air
2020 Virtual Boathouse Botanical Draw, Dredger’s Boathouse, Brooklyn, NY
2016-2018 ArtLab Gowanus; Curator, Coordinator, & Instructor of art workshops
2017 Instructor; Reimagining The Gowanus Landscape; collage workshop at ArtLab Gowanus
2016 2009 - 2011 Adjunct Professor of Studio Art & Drawing, NJIT College of Art & Design,
2009 - present Meditative Painting Retreat, co-creator and instructor Downsville, NY
2010 The Village Artist, Workshop Painting Instructor, Long Island, NY