Jessica Austin

My practice explores spiritual and religious passageways between worlds and in-between landscapes. I am interested in how these spaces can be constructed using painting and textiles. 

As my practice has developed, the gothic style has become central to my visualisation of entrances to other realities. Formal explorations of stained glass windows, pointed arches and ornate decoration have resulted in various architectural motifs that have developed into signatures of my practice. Shadows of these forms can be found in my paintings, which are intuitive mark-making exercises that explore how layering and reworking compositions can create an unpredictable and surprising visual language. I want the viewer to feel curiously attracted to the work, being physically and visually drawn into the layers of paint. Forms interlock and overlap to create a rhythmic visual experience that encourages movement around the canvas and a sense of discovery.

Communication and liminal space are my reference points for examining relationships between a sense of touch and divine beings. My recent textiles work has been underpinned by research into anatomical votive making and associated gift-giving rituals.