Jessica Alpern Brown: October 2023
Jessica Alpern Brown is a multidisciplinary artist who creates wearable, decorative and functional art for people, homes and public realms. She comes from a diverse background centered in the arts and has been mastering fabrication techniques for nearly 20 years. While she began her career as a photographer, Jessica is known for her multimedia cut paper works and use of innovative materials including acrylic, color shifting vinyl and non-toxic resin as well as sustainable metals and wood.
At the core of her practice is a belief that fine art can inspire functional design. Jessica is currently focused on making resilient, durable works that use color and light to bring beauty to ubiquitous objects and overlooked areas. Whether it's a tool for wayfinding, a necessary fixture or traditional wall art, she believes artwork is a unique conduit for shared experience and that even the most mundane object can provide an opportunity to make that experience positive.
She also believes that the best work comes from moments when thoughtfulness and skillful making intersect so she pursues both in equal measure. Jessica resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has exhibited in the southwestern PA region, nationally, and internationally. She was a Distillery resident at Brewhouse Association. She is represented by the Boxheart Gallery and is featured in the Monmade x CDCP Art Print Collection. Her work is also available through brink and mortar shops regionally and nationally.
“I am a multidisciplinary artist that creates fine art and design for homes, public realms, and the built environment. I come from a diverse background centered in the arts and have been mastering fabrication techniques for nearly 20 years. While I specialize in hand cutting paper, I work with a variety of sustainable materials and ethical production methods. These materials and methods were refined through Monmade’s Green Leap program and my light sculptures are currently DECLARE label listed. These lights will be featured in places such as the Wilkinsburg Train Station and the ILFA’s sustainable, equitable housing initiative.
The work I create is intended to instill both curiosity and comfort in the viewer. I am largely a subtractive maximalist. I start off pieces by layering, either pattern or color, but sometimes both. I compress all that information into a visual cacophony and then I physically remove all the unnecessary noise until balance and calm are achieved. Sometimes I do this by hand cutting, other times it’s done while I’m creating a vector file for a vinyl or laser cutter. However it is accomplished the goal is the same; I work to create pieces that impart depth of meaning and a sense of connectedness and wellbeing. They are also frankly, meant to be pretty, as the appealing nature of the visuals invites the viewer to linger and feel at ease.
I’ve worked extensively with machine and laser cutters with the intension of the finished artwork being displayed in an area that plays with light. My last project for Free the Music and the Pittsburgh International Airport, however, was on an opaque surface. It focused on the comfort found in memories of my Grandmother. I painted x shapes to emulate cross stitching as it’s something she taught me to me as a child. The colors are gentle and the chosen image means remembrance in the language of flowers. I find that no matter my approach, the end result is a space that is enjoyable to be in. Whether it is the bright energy of layered Contour Discs in high traffic areas, or the gentle comfort of Cross Stitch in spaces meant for contemplation.
At the core of my practice is a desire to contribute art that will integrate naturally into its environment, while transforming the experience of the space. I believe that the best art comes from moments when thoughtfulness and skillful making intersect so I pursue both in equal measure. I reside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and have exhibited in the southwestern PA region, nationally, and internationally. I was a Distillery resident at Brewhouse Association and am represented by the Boxheart Gallery. I have work featured in the collections of Carnegie Mellon University and Monmade x CDCP Art Print Collection . My wearable work is available through museum shops regionally and nationally such as the National Gallery of Art.”
