I want to introduce to you all, a very talented local artist, Jessica Maraschiello. She is the first artist I want to feature on my new "Local Artist Showcase" . We have so much talent around Nashville, I would be crazy not to share their stories. I have known Jessica for what feels like forever, and she is not only a great artist, but a wonderful person all around!

MEET JESSICA

1. Tell me a little about yourself... where are you from, and what you do?

I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, but I have also lived in Indianapolis and Dayton, Ohio. Nashville definitely feels like home. I just graduated from MTSU with a Bachelors of Fine Art in December, and now I am teaching classes at Sips N Strokes in the Gulch, painting pet portraits, screen printing T-shirts, and working on my personal body of work. I also am available for commission and freelance projects such as illustration, portraits, and whatever else I can get my hands dirty doing!

2. Why did you / or what made you decide to become an artist?

I have always enjoyed the process of creating something, whether it was making jewelry as a kid, choreographing dances in my teens, writing poetry and short stories, or making a piece of art. What really made me fall in love with painting was using it as therapy while going through a divorce. During an emotionally chaotic time, painting opened a new world of expression in which I did not need words. It helped (and still does) quiet my mind when the world got overwhelmingly loud with emotion and stress.

3. What kinds of art pieces have you worked on. Which one was your favorite and why?

I really love to dabble in several styles and mediums. Painting is my first and main love, but I have also discovered a whole new exciting world with printmaking. My personal body of work is primarily geometric abstraction that revolves around the elements of contrast and spatial illusion. I like to consider them the externalization of my often anxious psychological state of mind. I also paint pet portraits and silkscreen t-shirts. I don't know that I have an absolute favorite piece that I have done. It may sound cliché, but each one really is a piece of myself. I did a portrait of my late Grandmother as a gift for my mom, that I was pretty proud that I pulled off!

4. What has been your most touching or amazing moment you've experienced as an artist?

Anytime I have been accepted into a show or won a scholarship is such an amazing feeling. I think the most touching moment would be when my sisters commissioned a pet portrait for a friend whose dog had passed away. I was not there when she received the portrait, but my sister told me she looked out the window after her friend had left, and she saw her friend sitting in her car holding the portrait to her chest while she cried. Just thinking about that now makes me emotional! There have been several times a client has become emotional when they first see their portrait in person. That is always such a rewarding feeling.

5. What other artists have been inspirational to you in your work?

Kandinsky was my first big inspiration. I love how he deconstructed his compositions to such simple shapes, line, and color, but yet they were still so dynamic and intriguing. More current artists I look at are Jered Sprecher and Gianna Commito. I like to think of my personal work as a culmination of the inspiration from mainly those three artists, but I am always looking for new artists and inspiration.

6. Anything else you'd like to mention that I didn't ask?

I didn't start painting until my early 20s. I didn't pursue an education in art until I was 26, but it has been the best and most rewarding decision I have ever made. Being an artist has allowed me to see and interact with the world differently. Along with music, I believe visual art is one of the most powerful expressions of the human experience.

FEATURED ARTWORK BY JESSICA

To see more of Jessica Maraschiello's work you can click any of these links. Feel free to show her some love and like her on Facebook as well.

https://jrmaraschiello.carbonmade.com/

https://www.facebook.com/PetPortraitsbyJMar/

https://www.facebook.com/JRosebudDesigns/

Jessica can also be reached at JessicaMaraschielloArt@gmail.com if you are interested in inquiring about any artwork or shows.

Thank you Jessica for taking the time to take a look inside your artistic mind, which leads right to your heart! I am excited to share your beautiful artwork with Nashville !!