The making of a space on a flat surface in such a way that allows the loss of orientation and scale is a magical thing to me. Placing into this, ambiguous objects that are part of that space is how I lose myself. To be able to see any detail of my surroundings, I have to rush out to the periphery of the Universe and look back from there. As if I'm looking back from the end of my life, or I'm a giant moving at the speed of light, and a painting has to be a blink of an eye but also a whole life. I have no sense of time whatsoever. There is quite simply, 'now' and then there is 'not now'.
Painting for me is an anxious process, as there are so many moments to capture in all the moments I spend painting; so much to gather before it disappears. The smaller the canvas, the more the paint, and the more moments spent on them. I paint to reveal possibility, to be able to see where I'm going, and to throw off confusing half-remembered baggage. I paint to find some sense of continuity in my disparate world. This is the view from where I'm standing.
Painting for me is an anxious process, as there are so many moments to capture in all the moments I spend painting; so much to gather before it disappears. The smaller the canvas, the more the paint, and the more moments spent on them. I paint to reveal possibility, to be able to see where I'm going, and to throw off confusing half-remembered baggage. I paint to find some sense of continuity in my disparate world. This is the view from where I'm standing.
Biography
Jess Woodrow
Education:
MA - Bath College of Art + Design (2008 - distinction)
Fine Art pg dip - University of Wales (Cardiff).
BA(Hons) Fine Art - Howard Gardens Cardiff. (1990)
Diploma in Foundation studies - Weston-super-Mare college of art.
Presell comprehensive school Pembrokeshire.
Dominican college Wicklow Ireland.
Rathgar Junior school Dublin.
Tullamore national school. County Offaly Ireland.
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Where we are now. ( one of 8 exhibitions.) curated by Jaqueline Alkema for the Welsh Group
2023 The Welsh Group show. Mid Wales Art Centre
2023 The Reading Group. Curated by Dr. Frances Woodley and Chris Nurse. Canvas Cardiff
2023 Concentric Group Show - West Wharf Gallery, Cardiff.
2023 RCA Open.
Selected for Beep painting prize 2022 at Elysium, Swansea.
2022 'Mad shadows Mute ghosts'. Curated by Jess Woodrow
Group show with Jacqueline Alkema, Rosie McLachlan, Sophie Woodrow, Flora McLachlan. Oriel Q, Narberth Pembrokeshire.
2022 'Walking in Two Worlds', group show. Curated by Jonathan Powell, Steph Goodger, Julian Rowe. Volcano, Swansea (Elysium).
2022 'Hibernation', group show with work created in lockdown. Curated by David Morgan Davies. Abergavenny art shop and Chapel gallery.
2022 Drawing. Members show. Oriel Q, Narberth.
2021 Aspects of Landscape - 3 artists. Oriel Q, Narberth. Curated by Harriet Addyman.
2021 'Walking in Two Worlds'. Curated by Jonathan Powell, Steph Goodger and Julian Rowe. Oceans Apart Gallery, Salford and Oriel Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
2016 'The Sound of Water', solo show. Oriel Q, Narberth, Pembrokeshire.
2015 Abergavenny art shop and Chapel gallery - summer show.
2015 '10 Artists from Bristol and London', Searchers Contemporary, Bristol.
2013 'Objects of Desire'. Searchers Contemporary, Bristol.
2010 Open Painting - A survey of contemporary painting. RWA Bristol.
2006/8 I exhibited with West Wales Art centre Fishguard.
After my degree I was a member of Artspace in Bristol and was involved in the committee overseeing the transition to the new building that became Spike Island.
After my MA I was a member of BV studios in Bristol before returning to Wales.
I was elected to the Welsh Group in 2023
MA - Bath College of Art + Design (2008 - distinction)
Fine Art pg dip - University of Wales (Cardiff).
BA(Hons) Fine Art - Howard Gardens Cardiff. (1990)
Diploma in Foundation studies - Weston-super-Mare college of art.
Presell comprehensive school Pembrokeshire.
Dominican college Wicklow Ireland.
Rathgar Junior school Dublin.
Tullamore national school. County Offaly Ireland.
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Where we are now. ( one of 8 exhibitions.) curated by Jaqueline Alkema for the Welsh Group
2023 The Welsh Group show. Mid Wales Art Centre
2023 The Reading Group. Curated by Dr. Frances Woodley and Chris Nurse. Canvas Cardiff
2023 Concentric Group Show - West Wharf Gallery, Cardiff.
2023 RCA Open.
Selected for Beep painting prize 2022 at Elysium, Swansea.
2022 'Mad shadows Mute ghosts'. Curated by Jess Woodrow
Group show with Jacqueline Alkema, Rosie McLachlan, Sophie Woodrow, Flora McLachlan. Oriel Q, Narberth Pembrokeshire.
2022 'Walking in Two Worlds', group show. Curated by Jonathan Powell, Steph Goodger, Julian Rowe. Volcano, Swansea (Elysium).
2022 'Hibernation', group show with work created in lockdown. Curated by David Morgan Davies. Abergavenny art shop and Chapel gallery.
2022 Drawing. Members show. Oriel Q, Narberth.
2021 Aspects of Landscape - 3 artists. Oriel Q, Narberth. Curated by Harriet Addyman.
2021 'Walking in Two Worlds'. Curated by Jonathan Powell, Steph Goodger and Julian Rowe. Oceans Apart Gallery, Salford and Oriel Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
2016 'The Sound of Water', solo show. Oriel Q, Narberth, Pembrokeshire.
2015 Abergavenny art shop and Chapel gallery - summer show.
2015 '10 Artists from Bristol and London', Searchers Contemporary, Bristol.
2013 'Objects of Desire'. Searchers Contemporary, Bristol.
2010 Open Painting - A survey of contemporary painting. RWA Bristol.
2006/8 I exhibited with West Wales Art centre Fishguard.
After my degree I was a member of Artspace in Bristol and was involved in the committee overseeing the transition to the new building that became Spike Island.
After my MA I was a member of BV studios in Bristol before returning to Wales.
I was elected to the Welsh Group in 2023
