For Arts Sake is very proud to be hosting an exhibition of the work of the sensational Jess Wilson in our Gallery Downstairs at Ealing and we are delighted to announce that Jess has produced a new Limited Edition Linocut print, to be released at the opening of her exhibition, featuring the names of many of the places which are well known and well loved by the inhabitants of Ealing. In addition we have a wonderful opportunity for you to meet Jess Wilson as she will be at our gallery on Saturday 5th November between 2pm and 5pm, chatting about her work and inspiration.

For us it feels like something of a natural progression to be showing Jess’s work directly after our Peter Blake show –this is not to say that her work is at all derivative for she has her own voice, but they both reference similar source material taken from our everyday landscapes of graphic art; images from popular culture, books, typography, films, songs, celebrities. They both display an absolute delight in the creation of flat graphic images, an activity which is ideally suited to the medium of printmaking. To a great extent the real subject of the work by both artists being the dynamic power of colour itself.

Peter Blake’s collages comprise found images –he finds beauty and humour in these assemblages of people and objects which, childlike, he has cut out from assorted publications. Whereas Jess’s are first hand she possesses the rare skill of being able to orchestrate her compositions and surface patterns, her handwritten words and delicious colours so that they appear to be completely spontaneously and playfully executed. It would seem that many artists are able to produce interesting and inventive work but few are as capable as Jess Wilson at bringing the finished work up to such a perfect pitch. Since we first showed Jess’s work in 2012 they have been popular with people of all ages and nationalities. Both her World Maps and London Postcode Maps are much prized by a local travel agent, a teacher and an estate agent who have them on their office walls.

Jess’s effervescent wit fizzes throughout her work, as you read the handwritten words you can almost hear them being pronounced –from “ARRRRRR” “YEAAARAAGH” from the Pirates, to all the different accents pronouncing “HELLO” in different languages from Greetings from around the World. Who would have thought of a tattooed butterfly? We love the vibrant colours and rich patterns – contemporary Heraldic Lines and Ordinaries which decorate Manhattan Boroughs and Pixel Colourwheel. We particularly love the attitude of “Bored Now – Bye” painted gas tank.

Jess is amassing an impressive catalogue of commercial illustrative commissions – each project patently completed with her customary originality, energy and inventiveness. As with so many of the artists who are associated with Jealous she appears to be continually experimenting, pushing her own boundaries and exploring the limits of whatever medium she chooses to work in. – We can only watch and wonder.

Do come and join us between 27th October and 13th November to explore for yourself the maps and other delightful works on show, screenprints, risographs, gas tanks and we are sure that you will agree that the world is indeed a joyous place – courtesy of Jess Wilson.