Jessica Slater

I paint as a way of exploring the connections between nature, perception and the subconscious. My work begins with close observation—often looking at botanical forms, reptilian textures or the intricate, repetitive patterns found in shells. I’m fascinated by the way nature creates structures that already feel abstract, and I use painting to expand these microscopic details into larger visual landscapes.

Working intuitively, I build up layers of gestural marks, colour and collage, allowing the paintings to evolve through a balance of control and chance. As the work develops, the original forms become less recognisable, transforming into rhythmic networks that explore ideas of memory, consciousness and the hidden architectures that connect the natural world with our inner experience.

Living in Cornwall has deepened my relationship with the natural world. Rather than painting the landscape itself, I’m interested in the patterns and systems that underpin it—the visual languages that repeat across different scales, from the surface of a tiny top shell to the branching structures of plants and the pathways of the human brain. I hope my paintings encourage people to slow down, look closely and discover new connections between what we see around us and what we experience within ourselves.

I live in West Penwith, Cornwall, with my partner and our two young boys. I’ve lived in Cornwall all my life and it’s where my love of painting began. Being a parent means I have less time in the studio, but it makes me value that time even more. Living in Cornwall can sometimes feel far away from the opportunities available elsewhere, but I’m passionate about building my career from here and continuing to make ambitious, large-scale paintings.