Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica de Vreeze.
Jessica de Vreeze is a French American visual artist, born in Paris and now based in Miami. Her life has always revolved around Art but after dedicating a decade in a successful career as a lawyer that she decided to listen to her Heart and embrace art as a career. Self-taught in photography, Jessica’s compositions reflects her raw emotions.
For Jessica, “Life is art and art is an essential part of life.” “I like to tell stories about everyday heroes to build bridges and break barriers. I bring people to places as if they were locals. I capture people in empty scenes and spaces (Portrait d’Atmosphere Volume I, II, III, shown in New York City between 2016-18, Volume IV shown in Breda, the Netherlands, Volume 5 shown in Luxembourg and Volume 4.0 in Miami in 2018, Bringing the invisible visible shown in a group show at the Old Print Shop NYC, 2018) and uncover the soul of people by photographing their actions.
Part of her Portrait d’Atmosphere will be presented at The Sagamore as a part of the Art Basel‘s FRAMEmotions exhibit. Opening during the Valentine evening on 14 February 2019 from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm. FRAME experience will be available to the public until 31 March 2019. Special happening around “Urban Poetry,” Spectators will have the opportunity to purchase a lock and place it on a new art piece with their names- just like in Paris! The proceeds from the lock will be given to the nonprofit of choice on display. The Sagamore Hotel is located at1671 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139.
Coming up for 2019 she has exhibition in the making in Miami and Europe.
She also have a passion for people’s portrait, people make places and places make people I like to look into the soul of both and bring out their beauty and unicity.
For the time being, she has mainly portrayed artists, and accept commission to portray people. She plays with the light and tell their story. You can discover her portraits on @jessicadevreeze. People often report that on social media my portraits gets more likes than any of their average post. It makes her smile, it’s a way of saying that her magic finds a response with the public, I am glad to see I help people revealing their beauty, from inside out.
She is based in Miami, but she is an avid world traveler, and can’t resist a new adventure. Often travelling to NYC, Paris, Luxembourg and Holland. South America and Asia are on her map for the coming months.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
“I feel very fortunate as when I decided to accept my artistic career, I grew into it organically from one show to another from one publication to the cover of a magazine, and I am working from one project to the next, keeping my mind set on two to three project at the same times, unfolding one after the other or all together sometimes. My obstacle would be at this point time, I feel I never have enough to concretize all the ideas I have in mind. With time I would like to hire more people to delegate the aspects of my work that are not creative and liberate time to realize more.
My main challenge was to leave the financial security I had as a lawyer and accept the financial challenges as an artist. Artist put up a lot of work, and it takes a long time for them to be financially rewarded. This is the principle struggle, and it is why it is very important for people to invest in living artist. Life is improved by the art we have around us, it brings fun, light, escape, perspective, happiness and more. Thus to be able to continue creating an artist needs to support himself financially.
Being an Artist is often more than a regular full-time job, you often don’t count the hours, further to the creative part you “have to wear different hats”. ( the administrative part, the marketing part, the pre and post photoshoot, the printing and the framing…) I, of course, have an amazing studio who prints my digital prints and frame for me, but first I decide on all aspects myself, the paper the ink, the way to print, the size, the number of editions, then the way to frame it. When I shoot film, I develop and print by myself in the dark room. There is so much behind the photography exposed on the wall.
As an Artist you wish to share a feeling and the viewer just needs to experience his travel to my portrait d’Atmosphere. I always thank people who invest in living artist, it’s more than happiness they bring home, for themselves and their family and friends, its a contribution to the world, making it the nicest place to live in for all. Let’s all continue spreading great energy and smiles around us.”
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
My work can be divided into three…
My main focus is on creating Art :
When I compose, my instinct is leading, grasping unexpected details. My artist’s works reflect the soul of places I have encountered through my multicultural background. My creations are both thoughtful and dreamy. I wish to have my positive energy embrace and welcome the viewer. I use images to bring people together, bring messages of hope, to challenge and invite them to embrace their dreams. That my images becomes part of their lives. It starts with the first showing, my openings are discoveries in more than one level, the viewer gets to become part of the art. And further to the image they’ll bring their experience back home.
For example during my first opening in NYC at the 287 Gallery Chelsea, NYC, I decided to collaborate with a fashion designer Ev Bessar and a choreographer Karma Style, we had 18 dancers and a ballerina performing a flash mob, all matching one of my photography dancing on Vogue from Madonna, with a start on Pink Martini “Je ne veux pas travailler.”
I also used the attention given to my art to raise money for a non-profit helping children with congenital heart disease, called SACH (Save a Child’s Heart). I always try to give back as to others and support causes I believe in. On my first show I gave back $1660 (raised and percentage of my opening sale), its one-tenth of the money necessary to take care of one child’s medical expenses, but it is already that.
During the opening of my Portrait d’Atmosphere Volume 2 “From Luxembourg to NYC, as part of the Organization Mondiale de le francophonie with the U.N., I had decided to flood at once the viewer by children distributing Roses. The people then took the roses back, and I received messages thanking me for prolonging the opening in their home as the rose was blooming in their homes for a couple of days.
Each of my openings had its surprises, I create for each of my show a new story. Please come and discover my work at Miami at the Sagamore hotel. The opening will take place on 14 February 2019, all around Love, exactly what my work is about, bringing Love and happiness around me.
Portraits:
As I said before, I like people, I like to portray them in my unique way. We can just do a photo shoot, or go deeper and create their own Portrait d’Atmosphere. Their Portrait becomes a piece of Art. For example, I was portraying a BMX biker, we did a photo shoot I though chose the location, scouted it to make sure it was the perfect setting (I sent out someone to save time, check how long it would take to go there and make sure it was possible to shoot there).
Then I decided we started to shoot and as he was riding his bike. We took a pause and discussed, riding his bike is one of the things that makes him the happiest man in the world. It is his simple joy, and yet it dares making it extraordinary. The picture became clear in my mind, and I was lucky Carlos @Artbmx agreed to redo his stun a couple of time for me to catch the perfect image, moment. His Portrait became more it became a piece of Art.
Portrait d’Atmosphere LLC:
Portrait d’atmosphere, comes from the wish to create and share unique experiences. As I like to create happening during my exhibitions’ opening nights, I decided to extend this to create unique events.
They are crafted to live extraordinary moments and build unforgettable memories. These events will be sold upon invitation only, the sitting will be limited. To attend Portrait d’Atmosphere’s events, becoming a member of is a must, the membership is symbolical as we wish the person attending to share our values and good energy, no to party crasher.
The price of the yearly membership is $55 per persons and will include tickets for the first event attended. As times goes by, I met amazing Artists and talented persons, and we wish to share their Art with more, expand horizons. The journey being the connecting thread of all we do. In the pipeline from April 2019, we are organizing among other a French evening with a talented singer.
Bringing a Coach from New York City for an inspirational journey, receiving a writer for children for a unique atelier and presentation of his latest book, an evening with a renown chef, a show featuring craftsmanship from different part of the world (the criteria being handmade unique or in very limited edition), and many more artistic discoveries and experiences.
Is there anyone, in particular, you would like to recognize? Mentors, etc.?
I have a lot of supporters, my family and friends being the first always there to support me at every step of the way. My husband supporting my change of career is a stepping stone. My sister Jennifer Weiser, who by creating her brand Jenni Jane Paris and following her passion inspired me to act and go for mine. I grew up in a family of Art lovers, always taking us to museum, artist studios, on the road traveling everywhere.
I dreamed in images, in Van Gogh paintbrushes strokes, falling into the eyes of Kees Van Dongen’s models. Imagining shapes in the cracked walls, cityscape, street art, and wild city flowers are my muse. Certain songs also gave me wings, such as “Gloria” by Patti Smith who accompanied my transformation into the artist I became. With time I have encountered amazing people who acted as a fairy godmother, the first to come to my mind is Laurence Pierron who is in charge of Culture as other things for the Consulate General of Luxembourg in NYC, she first published a press release informing of my first showing in a gallery in Nyc in 2016, from what the French culture services published an article and the French morning followed.
In NYC, I joined the New York chapter of APA ( American Photographic Artist). Becoming a member of this photographers association has been very enriching. I also had the privileged of having my work selected and published in Proof Sheet fine art edition this past spring. One of my photography made the cover of the magazine, I am grateful to the editor Bruce Byers for taking his chances on me. It was also an opportunity for me to share a project that mixes portrait and fine art, presenting the invisible work of women in our society.
I focused on women that paused their careers to step up for their family and their communities or causes they embraces. Once my work has been selected to be published in the magazine, I have been given the chance to get involved in the construction of this edition and became the co-editor of the fine art edition. We did a series of video interviews of international Art galleries to help photographers understand the fine art market these days and how to approach Galleries and collectors with their fine artwork. It was a very enriching experience. My first collectors always encouraged me to persevere. Some are buying a piece at every exhibition. Some are introducing me to others art lovers and collectors.
Being an artist is an everyday challenge with yourself the people around you and the ones who will discover your creations. Sometimes you need to be reminded that you are on the right road. One day while I was wondering what I was waiting for, my uncle from NY decided out of nowhere to send me an email, asking me if I knew that Florence Van Damm was one of my direct ancestor from their side (my dad’s side). She was considered as a pioneer woman in Photography, owned her studio on Broadway and called a Pioneering Poet of Light. She photographed Martha Graham and all the stars of her time. I believe that when you are true to yourself, and work hard at it, with perseverance good come your way, and gives you strength to keep on and recharge your batteries.
Pricing:
- Her art pieces prices differ whether her photograph are printed in Limited or open editions. She always try to have small format or special editions available at a friendly price to give an opportunity to all to purchase the piece of Art that stole their heart.
- Her portrait sessions range from $245 to $2500. To be discussed depending on the scope of your project.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessdv.com
- Phone: 9175154552
- Email: jessidevreeze@me.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeje/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hopejedv/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessidevreeze?lang=en
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/jessicadevreeze/?hl=en
Image Credit:
Petro Kitsul, Dave C Smith
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