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Jess Bradshaw

Discipline:

Papercut Artist & Children's Illustrator

Location:

Preston

ABOUT:

My great love affair with papercraft struck me during my time studying Illustration at UCLan. I’ve always had a fever for image making, but paper allows me to blur the lines between illustration & sculpture, in a joyous celebration of colour & form.

My style is simplistic, but meticulous, & most recently my practice has taken me to a fascination with miniature art pieces. Paper allows me to push the limits of my ability every day; how small can I make this? How complex? Could it be 3D? How many colours do I need to use? Experimentation is at the forefront of everything I create.

I get my inspiration from the natural world & a long-nurtured childhood obsession with space. I often explore themes of gender & sexuality in my work, in a way that’s accessible & child-friendly. As a non-binary lesbian, I’m a little envious of the rising amount of queer representation in children’s media, I would have benefited greatly from knowing there were others like me when I was a kid. It’s my aim as an artist to be a part of this growing narrative, affirming children’s identities & letting them know that nature doesn’t make mistakes; they are exactly who they’re meant to be.

WORKS:

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'Working Class Creatives' responds to a need which is too often overlooked in the arts; that of the barriers facing working-class artists from getting on in our sector. They are instrumental in initiating much-needed change that will see the art world become more inclusive and reflect the society it purports to serve. I often search their database in my research, it is a vital resource for any arts professional working in culture today. That they have got this far on so little financial resource is remarkable and I am excited to see what they will achieve with further support.” Beth Hughes, Curator, Arts Council Collection.

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