About
My name is Jessica Ray. I grew up in North Louisiana, Ida to be exact. Growing up in the country gave me unfettered imagination, drive and belief that I could soar. Ok, so maybe not all of those things all at once. The country lifestyle had some help. I am a child of a family of artists. There is no one in my family that cannot sketch, sculpt or paint in a multitude of media. I grew up believing however that my talents were distinctly NOT visual. I thought the only creation of art left to me was writing and perhaps decorating and floral arrangement. I believed in my Artist’s eye, I simply was afraid to test my hand. I attended an elementary/ middle school that fostered the belief that each student was a PERSON, not a number. Herndon Magnet and all of its teachers held so much influence in my life, especially my art teachers there. Kay Donges and DeArtrous Moody taught not just technique but curiosity. They gave us the desire to look beyond. That is what art is for me, looking beyond. The surface is there, of course. It is beautiful. But what lies beneath, that is where the magic lives. So, not feeling that I had that special something to make an artist. I tried to explain what I saw beneath. I learned the techniques and I appreciated everyone else’s talent. Upon leaving the haven of safety and what my husband calls the magic plane of Herndon, I attended North Caddo. I worked with the art teacher there, Mr. Warren, explaining that I couldn’t DO art. So I did Yearbook. I became the editor. I freehanded every crop, every ad and every photo placement and proof. Still, I maintained I had no art in me. I spent my college years writing and twisting words to paint pictures for me. In the world beyond college, I did everything from personal shopping at high end retail to floral arranging to restaurant work. Now, I am taking on the most interesting challenge of my life – full time parenthood. Yet, I want more. I am ready to test my hand. I am ready to close my eyes and feel the magic stir and see if I can find what lies beneath. I want to create visually. I have been producing a few handfuls of pieces. Each piece is to test or to try to self-interpret a technique. That is who I am today. A tea-creative soul, dying to create something visual and stirring.