My name is Jessica Tomaino. (Maiden name is Adams)
Jess or Jessie is better.
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Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to be an artist. Being a creative person I love the process of seeing and idea transform into a finished product.
I have completed a variety of pieces in oil paint and pastel in the past few years and plan on taking on even more with introducing collections of subject matter to my portfolio.
For the past 6 years I have been a featured artist at the Sweet Chalk Fest in Lockport, NY. This event taught me so much about myself as an artist, my community, and the impact of my work can have on children. It was such an honor to have a child come up to me to show me their drawing of a lion because they felt inspired by my lion piece the first year. I illustrated Hedwig from Harry Potter the second year. In 2015, I did a pair of vibrant sea horses (while pregnant!). In 2016 I created my largest piece yet and it was of poison dart frogs on a ginger flower. In 2017 I traveled for the first time to Denver to be in the Denver Chalk Festival and did a Franklin Lloyd Wright Tree of Life Inspired piece. In 2017 I returned to Sweet Chalk Fest and did my dog's portrait, Ruby in poppy flowers. I will be returning to Sweet Chalk Fest in 2018 with Disney's Tangled chalk scene while being interactive with little chalkers.
My husband, Tim, and I met in December of 2007. We were freshmen at Niagara County Community College. I was an art student at the time and he was my moral support during critiques and long hours of homework. He is my other half, and supports me still in my dreams. We were married in 2012 and adopted our first fur baby, Ruby, an English Springer Spaniel. In 2015 we added our second fur baby to the family, Wyatt, another English Springer Spaniel. Our family grew even more as we welcomed our first child, Jacqueline Rose Tomaino in November of 2015. My parents and siblings are also a huge factor in any success I have with art. They are my cheer leading squad and sometimes my supply bank.
Professional photography on my blog has been done by my talented friend Carolyn McAfee. Visit her blog and website:
http://www.ccmcafeephotography.com/
Art photography for prints also done by Samantha McAllister
http://www.photosbysam.us/
My Philosophy
"If you want it to look exactly like a picture then take a photograph."
Illustration is expressive; not meant to be perfect but to inspire imagination. To illuminate!
How I "See"
Friends and family have described several of my works as bright and whimsical. I see my subjects in a very different way than the average Joe, like they are from a story book or a whole other dimension entirely.
Color
There is more to the color brown than what is in the crayola box. I see hues of purple and blue, even red, to make the brown rich.
Medium
I mainly use oil pastels and colored pencils for finishing detail. It is my medium of choice. I do use oil paint on canvas. My only complaint with oil paint is that it takes forever to dry. I really enjoy these mediums because there are so many techniques to use for texture and the colors are so vivid! I enjoy ink and chalk as well.
Composition and Subject
I "crop" my photos to capture a detail in an abstract way. Sometimes I go for the full "children's picture book page" composition. There is always a story behind every piece I create. Most of my subjects are animals but I have wandered into landscapes. I can't stand still life subjects. Boring! I need to feel a motion and the life of the soul I am drawing whether it really exists or not. That is the best part of illustration, you can bring your imagination and it's stories to life.
Subject and Inspiration
I sometimes will use a photograph and give the piece my own interpretation. I like to give my representation of colors and textures. A lot of the times my own imagination is where the image comes from. The animals that take residence on each blank page or canvas bring me joy and tell their own story or mood.
Rules for Comments and Disclaimer
"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Negative Nancy comments will be deleted. I will make typos here and there, especially with a baby in my lap late at night while I write my posts. I will not argue online with anyone. Life is too short.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I know not everyone will like my work. Everyone has their own way of seeing life and art. For those who do like or love my work I am extremely honored!
Thank you for visiting!
Stay tuned!
With love,
Jessie
I love the pic ur photographer took of you. She is so great- so cool that she is working with you to do all the prof. pics of ur work... I tried to "subscribe by email" to your blog, but it wouldn't let me....might have to check the settings on that if you want subscribers; but then again, it might just be my computer not letting me.
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