Jessica Ford tells us about opening her studio for the first time this AOH

Hi Jessica, We’re delighted you are taking part in AOH, opening your studio for the first time this year. Is there a particular reason that encouraged you to take part?
I have been asked so many times over the years if I’m going to do an Open House, but somehow life always seemed to get in the way! This year I made a promise to myself that I would try to connect more with my local community and local collectors. I’ve been blessed to have done very well selling my work through Instagram over the past eight years, and was always delighted to send my work off to overseas buyers. However, my paintings, I think, really do benefit from being seen in person, to get an idea of the subtleties and the textures of the paint, which is so much harder to see on a screen.

Would you like to tell us a little about your background?
I was born into a very artistic household – my Mum is an artist and my Dad was an art history lecturer at a university, and so a career in the arts seemed like a very natural choice! I studied illustration at Bath, and then had five years in London trying to get on the creative ladder and working lots of random jobs, whilst building my portfolio and finding an agent! Since 2007, I’ve been a commercial illustrator, working with a diverse group of clients in the design, advertising and editorial sectors. I’ve also written and illustrated a lot of children’s books. I’ve lived in Brighton and Hove for 17 years, with a few years in London in between. I really consider this wonderful place to be home, and I’m very proud to live here!

Would you like to tell us how you came to migrate from illustration to painting and how working as an illustrator for many years has influenced your artist practice?
I took up painting about eight years ago, as a way to escape the screen and get messy again (my art college messy days had started to feel like a long time ago!). It started off as a hobby, and thanks to Instagram, I was delighted when my paintings started to sell! I soon went from painting one day a week, to dividing my time up 50/50 with illustration, and started to run the two careers simultaneously, which has been the perfect mix.

I definitely feel that my colour sense has been refined during my years as an illustrator. It’s always felt very natural to use a lot of colour in my work, and you can see this in a lot of my wardrobe choices too! Colour really does make you happy!

Your work has been shown in many places and has received some notable commissions. Can you tell us about some of them?
I’ve had the pleasure on working on lots of commissions over the years, from clients all over the UK, as well as abroad. My customers often commission paintings to surprise their partners for birthdays, or to celebrate the birth of a new child, which is such an honour! Some customers have even used money that they’ve inherited to buy a painting, which is just so touching. It’s been wonderful to receive photographs of people’s paintings in their homes and lovely messages from customers over the years.

My work has appeared on lots of the George Clarke TV programmes, featured in the room sets at the Good Homes Show, appeared in adverts and lots of magazines, and one of my first paintings hangs in the living room of the vlogger Zoella!

What are you most looking forward to in opening your studio to visitors?
I’m really looking forward to meeting local people, in REAL LIFE! Selling online is great, and I can’t knock my wonderful online community, but you can’t beat having a face to face conversation with your customers. I’m also looking forward to getting some feedback: what paintings people connect to, and what colour combinations people are drawn to.

I hope to meet some of you at my studio!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
I’m planning on exhibiting at The Other Art Fair in the Spring, as well as Artists Open Houses in May, so stay tuned for updates on that!

You can see more of my work at: www.jessicaford.co.uk
And follow me on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/jessica_ford_art
For those interested, you can see my illustration work at: www.jessieford.co.uk

See Jessica’s Open House at:
Jessica Ford  
Second Floor Studio, 39 Portland Rd, Hove, BN3 5DQ