Natural Artist Portraits for Bristol Artist, Jess Hellens
I've collaborated on portraits with this brilliant woman a few times over the last 5 years, but this Flow State session marked something entirely new for her.
Jess only started painting again a couple of years ago, after nearly a decade away from it. She’s fully embraced this passion and developed her style over the course of the last two years and now she’s having a flipping exhibition. I mean, if that’s not inspiring I don’t know what is!
As Jess prepared for her imminent debut solo exhibition, she wanted me to capture imagery that reflected this exciting new chapter of confidently stepping into life as an exhibiting artist.
Some creative milestones deserve to be documented like the momentous occasions they are, right?
Working from her artists’ studio in Bristol, we captured a collection of artist portraits and thoughtful product photography that showcased the ethereal and the rich textural quality of her work alongside the calm, grounded energy she brings to making it. She really is magic.
“I truly think the images made the difference between being taken seriously as an artist, and not.”
— Jess Hellens, Artist
We focused on creating a relaxed, honest visual story that celebrated both Jess and her creative process.
With her classic casual styling, no makeup, and the familiarity of her own creative space, the session felt completely natural.
Rather than performing for the camera with awkward posing, Jess immersed herself in her gorgeous work while I documented her painting and all the moments in between.
I wanted to capture the angle of the brushes poised in her hands and the pink and gold paint splattered on the table and her stained palettes…all of the messy details telling us the story of the artist’s process behind her glorious finished pieces.
The gallery we created will now support Jess on her website, but the images have been used in all the Square Club exhibition marketing, and (of course) across social media, giving people a glimpse behind the scenes of both her practice and the creative human too.
I loved this comment on the images I shared on Instagram from Laura, who summed it up perfectly:
"These shots are both grounded and playful, just like Jess. Of course you would capture that, Celie. So emotive."
It made me smile because that's exactly what my Flow State sessions are designed to do!
I want to create enough space for the real you to simply get on with doing what you love. That’s how we help people understand the person who made the art and build a connection to the pieces you’re selling.
If you’re an artist and you’d like some portraits that showcase you and what you do, book in for a chat.
