Art With Jess

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Art With Jess

Hello, I’m Jess, I’m an abstract artist and freelance art coordinator working with groups and 1:1.

My practice focuses on expressionism through therapeutic frameworks, that help towards mental health and self-reflection.

10/08/2026

✨ART PERSPECTIVE✨

At Talk About It Mate, art isn’t about being “good” at drawing. It’s about creating a space to explore how we see ourselves, how others see us, and why those perspectives don’t always match.

Recently we’ve been using art exercises alongside open debates around authenticity and perspective within the arts. A lot of the time, people feel disconnect with art because they think it is above them.

Conversations within perception, authenticity and artist/artworks can really help one understand that’s it’s all just perspective and whether you think it’s “right” or “wrong” it is still a valid aesthetic perspective!

Can you ever see something exactly as someone else does? Does art have one correct interpretation? Can the everyday be art? Does it have an expiry date ? These were the questions we explored within work like Tracey Emin “My Bed”, William De Kooning and his woman series and my abstract work; deciphering just from image alone, what makes something an artwork, how can you tell if something is in a gallery from say a painting you painted last week?

These conversations can start with a drawing, a painting or an interpretation of an artwork, but quickly become about something much bigger;

How we navigate everyday life.

The assumptions we make about other people.The stories we tell ourselves.The pressure to present ourselves in a certain way. The difference between who we are and who we think we’re expected to be.

Art gives us a way to talk about these things without always having to talk about them directly.

There’s no right answer.

Just different perspectives, honest conversations and a chance to look at things differently.

Sometimes changing the way you see something can change the way you understand it. So that’s why for this exercise, I got the guys to interoperate the artworks in front of them, in THEIR own personal style, and this is the results.

07/08/2026

✨The Power of Influence ✨

Sometimes creativity and purpose begin with something as simple as being introduced to a band.

For me, that band was Sam Fender.
His music doesn’t just tell stories, it shines a light on subjects that are often left unspoken, especially men’s mental health and su***de prevention.

Listening to his lyrics made me more aware of the pressures many men carry and the importance of creating spaces where those conversations can happen. Not long after, I experienced my own personal situation with a family member that deepened my understanding of how vital support and connection really are.

It changed the way I viewed mental health and strengthened my belief that creativity can be a powerful way to express what words sometimes can’t.

Presently, I have the privilege of helping facilitate art sessions with Talk About It Mate on a weekly basis. Watching people connect, create, and open up through art has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career.

It’s a reminder that influence can come from anywhere—a song, an artist, a conversation—and that inspiration has the power to create a ripple effect.

What started with listening to music has become part of my journey in helping others find connection, confidence, and expression through creativity.

Today, with Talk about it Mate, I gave them lyrics of different songs from Sam fender and to express it creatively on what they think it’s represents, whilst having discussions about the power of influence, the difference between influence and copying in art history, and reflections of the lyrics themselves.

Creativity isn’t about creating from nothing, it’s about observing, absorbing, and transforming influences into something uniquely your own.

29/07/2026

✨ Auguste Herbin✨

Artist appreciation is more than admiring a finished painting—it’s taking time to understand the ideas, emotions, and lived experiences behind the work, and that’s what me and the guys from Talk About It Mate did.

Despite people’s reactions towards abstract art as “easy” or the phrase of “a child can do it” which are all valid aesthetic experiences or thoughts, however, exploring abstract art invites us to slow down, question what we see, and discover meaning that isn’t always obvious.

Artists such as Auguste Herbin challenged traditional ways of seeing, reminding us that colour, form, and composition can speak as powerfully as words.

Art appreciation isn’t about having the “right” interpretation. It’s about curiosity, conversation, and allowing yourself to connect with creativity in your own way.

For many people, especially within mental health communities, engaging with the arts offers a space to reflect, process emotions, and experience moments of calm, connection, and possibility.

Every gallery visit, creative workshop, and shared conversation helps build a culture where expression is valued and every perspective has a place.

Moral of the post: Keep exploring. Keep asking questions. Keep celebrating the artists who encourage us to see the world—and ourselves—from new perspectives.

*the first 2 images are not my own*

CreativeCommunity

22/07/2026

✨Hygge Game✨

Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word that roughly translates to coziness.

Using the Hygge Game with Talk About It Mate alongside simple doodling activities, creates a relaxed and welcoming space where connection can happen naturally.

Not everyone finds it easy to talk about how they’re feeling. Having a game to spark conversation and a pen in hand to sketch thoughts, symbols, or ideas can take the pressure off. Doodling isn’t about being artistic—it’s about giving people another way to reflect, express themselves, and join the conversation.

We’ve found that this combination encourages meaningful discussions, shared laughter, reflection, and connection. Sometimes a simple drawing says what words can’t.

Creating spaces where men can connect without pressure is an important part of supporting mental wellbeing. Every conversation, every sketch, and every shared experience helps build a stronger sense of community.

PeerSupport

21/07/2026

✨Nature Observations ✨

Getting outside isn’t just about exercise—it can also be about slowing down and noticing what’s around you.

This week, with Talk About It Mate we focused on nature observations. The idea is simple: spend an hour or 2 outdoors and pay attention to what you see, hear, smell, or feel. Notice the birds, the movement of the trees, the colours of the plants, the clouds, or the sound of the wind.

Research suggests that spending time in nature can help reduce stress, improve mood, and support mental wellbeing. It isn’t a cure for mental health challenges, but it can be a valuable tool alongside other forms of support.

You don’t need to climb a mountain or visit a national park. A local green space, a garden, or even sitting under a tree can make a difference.

I got the guys to work with different mediums, pencil ✏️, coloured pencil, and oil pastel. All require you to think different in how you portray the thing in front of you, especially the details. With pencil and the coloured pencils, you can work precisely, but with oil pastel, it’s chunky, and you have to problem solve how you’re going to portray indicate details of say a flower, or a leaf with something so clunky and heavy.

Sometimes the smallest observations can lead to the biggest conversations.

18/07/2026

✨Imi Knoebel✨

Art has the power to open conversations that words sometimes can’t.

At Talk About It Mate, we explored artwork inspired by the expressive style of Imi knoebel. Although his work isn’t directed toward wellbeing and mental health, his process is.

His process encourages mindfulness, his simple geometric forms and bold colours invite people to slow down, observe, and focus on the present moment.

It reduces artistic pressure, because his work is abstract rather than realistic, the guys don’t have to worry about making something “look right”.

It can also promote self expression, which can be hard with realistic techniques, using colour, shape, and composition allows people to communicate emotions that may be difficult to express with words.

Rather than painting, I chose for the guys to do collage, and to create their own style of work, and I really do think they’ve captured the essence of his work.

*the first image is not my own image*

09/07/2026

✨Golden Time✨

This exercise was inspired by my own childhood as well as among others “golden time”, an hour of being creative however you desired. As a kid, it was easy, but as an adult it can be hard with perfectionists tendencies, the repeated negative phrases like “I’m not creative” “I can’t draw” etc.

But I think the guys from Talk About It Mate done a great job. To help encourage the guys to really explore golden time I had already done the first step for them. A lot of conversations with art is how the first step of being creative can make you or make you throw it in the bin! So to take that pressure off, I painted random shapes and allowed the guys to be creative without pressure!

The guys did a fabulous job, and although it doesn’t make sense, it’s a step closer to encouraging being creative, without the mental obstacles!

08/07/2026

✨Frottage ✨

If you thought I was talking nonsense, think again. ‘Frottage’ comes from the French word ‘frotter’ which means to rub. Frottage is a drawing technique created by laying paper over textured surfaces and rubbing over the sheet with drawing materials.

This action picks up the patterns, shapes, or designs onto the surface, relying on a level of chance to create surprising marks and effects.

This is what me and the guys from Talk About It Mate did but with a twist! The “surface” was their FACE! Focusing on their facial features and others to create marks of representation (not exact representation of course ). Using soft pastels is great for this exercise as it captures any small surface narks.

“This is crazy” I heard a lot of during that exercise, and Yano what? It was! But it’s being creative! Artists don’t go with the flow they go against the grain, they solve problems, do unconventional ways of working to get the creative juices flowing!

Moral of the post: Be bold, because you don’t know where it’ll take you!

29/06/2026

✨ Emotions Pie ✨

Great session today with Talk About It Mate doing a pie chart of our emotions within the last week can really make us take notice in where we acknowledge how much stress, grief, and anger we’re holding in visual form.

It can also make us realise gratitude or the lack of, where we may need to work on, or the happiness that filled our week but we just didn’t take notice, or joy, that made our entire week that you had to share it with everyone.

It can make you realise that some things might be emotionally imbalanced, not taking time for yourself, personal interpretations where colours don’t signify what they mean to you the same way they do to others, and also being present.

Saying you’re stressed or tired or depressed or heartbroken is entirely different compared to creatively expressing it. Some have extended their pie charts, some have altered it slightly with symbols and words, some are minimal, some are just words with empty boxes, and some are just colours and nothing else.

As an artist, I look at these and see a lot of perseverance through these works. Seeing grief through a single broken heart, being colourblind but yet still portraying chaos through colour, or even acknowledging gratitude through all the stress with the notion of “ready to roll” accepting that everything is transient.

27/06/2026

✨ The Art of the everyday ✨

Lovely session with Talk About It Mate on Friday experimenting with different mediums and subject matters. Artists capture the essence of slowing down, creating something that gets ignored, or is mundane. Look at Vincent Van Gogh and his sunflowers, Claude Monet with his water Lillie’s.

So I got the guys to pick a number out the bag, from 1-3 and each number is assigned instructions and the images were given out randomly.

Number 1 - was working with pastels
Number 2 - was working with water colours
Number 3 - was working with collage

It forces the guys to experiment with alternative mediums that they may not of chosen, same with the subject matter, they’re forced to capture the essence of the subject in their own creative way.

In all the hustle and bustle we forget to live, and slow down. We don’t look up at the clouds and ponder, we don’t admire a rock that we found at the beach, or our first loaf of sourdough. we rush, pace, get it done as fast as possible, forgetting that beauty, curiosity, and time is passing us by.

We take so many pictures on our phone of things that are aesthetic to us, bring us joy or even proud of, but once that’s image has been taken, do you forget all about it?

Aesthetic experiences are not only reserved for galleries, they can be anywhere, you just have to take notice.

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Manchester

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https://www.instagram.com/abstractartjessica/

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