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.

