As featured in Unfolded Magazine Issue 11
Digital artist Jessica Slagle hails from the Midwest and
moved to New York about a year and a half ago. Slagle
received a BFA in illustration from the College of Visual Arts in
Minnesota and originally wanted to be a dancer and perform with the
Martha Graham Company. As with many artists, she eventually
found her way back to her first love, graphic art. She tells us
that she has "been making collages all my life, but only since I
moved to New York have I started working
digitally."
Defining "art as the creative expression of one’s
imagination", she tells us about the House Jam work, which she
describes as "part of my Deep at Night series" and "illustrates
various meditation visualisations I had during an intense period of
metaphysical study from 2011 to 2012. House Jam is a brief moment
of clarity I had - where I could see my celestial self staring back
at my human self."
It would seem that she draws most of her inspiration
from meditation and her works are a way of Illustrating her
visualisations and "my way of teaching others what I’ve
learnt. I want the work to stimulate the viewer’s third eye."
Slagle has a BFA in illustration, but the course did not appeal to
her and she describes it as a harrowing experience, it "forced me
deeper and deeper inside my meditative escapism, which most
certainly influenced my work", completing it solely for her job
prospects.
Asked if she was a butterfly and what colours or patterns
she would you have on her wings?, Slagle replies "I would have a
Victorian style floral pattern on my wings and they would have an
assortment of cotton candy pastel colours throughout the pattern."
Colour and spiritual elements seem to be a major part of her work,
particularly evident with Gnosis - the twins are "representative of
the duality within us - the divide between our celestial form (our
soul) and our physical human body.
By looking into ourselves, we can find truth." she says. In
viewing the work, she hopes the "viewer feels more connected
within themselves and the universe." adding, as a piece of advice,
"Trust yourself. Don’t be afraid. You’re capable of doing far more
than you realise."
A preference for digital art and collage is evident in her
work and Slagle describes traditional collage as somewhat limiting
because you can’t play with transparency as easily. I'm sure I’ll
continue to do traditional collages throughout my career, but as of
right now digital is what fits me best." Frida Kahlo is her
favourite artist, telling us "her work speaks to my soul the
way no other work does."
In six words, Slagle says she is "Spiritual, Beautiful,
Curious, Eccentric, Unexpected, Lonely" and her favourite work is
the Transcendental piece and was "the first digital collage piece I
created. It represents the starting point of my new life in
New York, and of the start of my new spiritual journey."
Where that journey may lead, we hope will be filled with
illustrations - of the future, "You’ll be seeing a lot of me in the
future - I am just getting started."
Visit her website to see more of her traditional and digital
collages.
Together with listening to a few cool choice tracks alongside
the artworks.
www.slagletron.com
Interview by Nardip Singh
