Stunning series of paintings depicts birds, trees and the sea as its heroes

Inspired by the natural beauty of her hometown of Martha's Vineyard, Jessica Pisano’s interest in art started at a young age. She pursued her passion for the arts at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, graduating in 1999 with a BFA in painting and photography. Pisano participated in a year abroad program to study fine art at the Lorenzo de Medici School in Florence, Italy. In 2002, she earned an MA in Arts Administration from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

She explains: "As an artist, I have always been inspired by nature — it is my muse. Birds, trees and the sea are the heroes of my stories. I am both interested and intrigued by the comparison and contrast of these subjects, as well as their individual symbolism.

"Whereas birds embody a sense of freedom and transcendence — the link between heaven and earth — trees epitomise strength, wisdom, stability and growth — the noble character with roots firmly planted in the earth while its branches sway up into the sky, reaching out in polar opposite directions. The sea, on the other hand, while also representing elements of freedom and strength, is full of contradictions in and of itself. As the source of life, it symbolises immortality; but as the source of powerful currents, storms and deluges, it also is an aspect of mortality.

"The ocean therefore has a mysterious and majestic element and can represent both rebirth and the awakening of the mind, or tumultuous events and occurrences.

"All together, these varying elements of each create balance: the yin to the yang. This balance found in nature is what I am interested in exploring and portraying in my work — my storytelling is not meant to convey a specific meaning or message, but rather to evoke an emotion from the viewer. How the viewer interprets that emotion is left to his or her own response. The viewer too becomes a participant in the story."

Discover more at jessicapisano.com.