She earned an MFA from the University of Ottawa in 2015 and a BA in Art History from the University of Calgary in 2002. Her current art practice is equally informed by both her background in academics and her studio pursuits. She uses simple materials and repetitive “daily gestures” such as folding, stacking, staining and filling. Her work plays with the conventions of abstraction in acts of radical utility. During her residency term at MASS MoCA, Jessica treated garments she found in local dollar and discount stores to lengthy cold-water dye processes and detailed modifications. The resulting works are vibrant colorfields that are embedded with effort, delicately referencing North Adams’ legacy of industry.