Meet Jessica Tedder | Painter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Tedder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is a part of every day life. As a person who tries to minimize risk all the time, I find that this is one of my biggest struggles. There comes a point where as an artist you have to decide which direction to go. Personally, I see switching my major back in college to Painting as a risk. However, I did it anyway!

There was nothing quite like holding a paint brush and creating for me. Society puts a label on artists early with jokes such as “starving artist” or “you’ll be working at McDonalds”. I thought if I wasn’t good at math- I was going to starve. Seems silly now that I look back on it.

After a few years passed, I had a different perspective. I almost risked what I loved doing in order to find a financially secure major, and job. There are risks you take that have a low reward threshold, and risks you take that pay out big rewards – if you are serious about it.

I see pursuing art as a risk, but so far the rewards have been immense. My soul is happy, That is the biggest reward in my opinion.

If I had not taken that risk back in college a few years ago, I would be a very different person in a very different place.
It all came down to one question I asked myself. “When you get to the end of your life, will you regret not going after painting?”

The answer was yes. I would regret it. I would rather take the risk, risk failing in pursuit of my goals and dreams, than have a content life on the sidelines where I did not even try.
To me, that is the worst that could happen to me. At least at the end, I can say “I tried”.
This is where risk becomes essential. You just have to roll the dice and have faith.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art has become about family, contemporary portraiture and exploring family dynamics. I work with oil, and have a loose and gesture heavy hand when it comes to painting the figure and faces.

I have a good amount of success. Between selling my originals and doing commissions on the side, I really feel I have a solid ground underneath me. Establishing that ground took time, though.

Some challenges I face daily are “is this good enough?” and being in my own head a lot.
I overcome this by painting whatever is given to me in a way that I would hang it up in my own room. If I don’t feel a spark when I look at it, I reevaluate and sometimes even start over. My work needs to speak for itself, so I am picky what I let out into the world!

The lessons I have learned are many. One prominent one is life does not stop throwing you curve balls. You have to learn how to dance with them. Always keep trying to be better. Learn from other artists, and ask for critiques.
Do not take rejection personally, and keep a small folder of “wins” that you can look back on when you feel discouraged.

I want the world to see my soul in my paintings. With every brush stroke and drip, I want people to feel my paintings. Not just look at them. This is my ultimate hope.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to a local music venue like Tulips in Fort Worth, Lolas, and this restaurant off Magnolia called the Flying Carpet. It’s in a little old house with Turkish cuisine. They have hookah outside, and it is BYOB. Their food is phenomenal, and If I had the money I think I would eat there every day.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Sedrick Huckaby, Marilyn Jolly and Carlos Donjuan pushed me to new levels of artistry I did not know existed inside me. They were wonderful professors and because of their commitment and gift as teachers I really took off in their hands.

My dad as well, for paying for art school even though it probably gave him a heart attack when I told him I was going to switch.
He always encouraged me, and I still have a box of letters from him that he would leave me every morning before he left for work that always said “Jessie, focus on your art before you forget how to do it”.
That one specifically makes me smile. He knew I was an artist before I did.

The last letter he ever wrote me before he passed said “Paint the World”. I have it framed in my bedroom so I can wake up to it every day.

Website: jessicadtedder.wixsite.com/jessicadtedder

Instagram: @thejesstedder