Oh Jessica Jessica: when creative concepts meet chronic illness

Boredom can often spark great ideas, at least that was the case with Jessica Harris. A Western Australia-raised illustrator, Jessica was working part-time in retail when she decided to take a dive into enamel pin making.

With a Masters of Animation already under her belt, she decided to refine her digital art skills by watching Skillshare videos and before too long, she had designed her very first enamel pin of an axolotl. 

Six years later and she now has bold and vibrant prints and pins in the illustrious QVWC Shop!, on the shelves of incube8r in Fitzroy and has amassed a large following across her Instagram and Etsy page. 

For Givemas, we spoke with Jessica to discover where her art journey began and what she’s excited to create in the future.

When you were growing up, did you always want to be an artist, or were there other pursuits that held your interest?

Growing up I was constantly drawing, but I didn’t really want to pursue art as a career until the end of primary school (maybe year 5 or 6) when I set my sights on becoming a 2D animator. Before then (in early primary) I was going to ballet classes, and thought I might become a ballerina. I’m glad I changed my mind!

What were some of the styles that inspired your early artistry and do you think your influences have evolved over time?

Early influences on my art were similar to a lot of people my age: the 90s Disney movies and 90s anime style. However, as years passed, I was also inspired by: Tim Burton movies, the urban landscapes of Edward Hopper and Jeffrey Smart, and the Pre-Raphaelite artists Rossetti, Morris, and Millais.

Recently, I’m more interested in setting restrictions or rules to follow when creating new series and using art-challenge prompt lists to help spark inspiration and fight art block.

You first picked up making enamel pins in 2016 after previously studying animation. What was it about the medium that intrigued you?

Enamel pins are nice, short-term projects for me. I run into a bit of trouble completing long-form works, and pins are something I can get done in a week or less if the environment is right. I say this, despite some of my pin projects proving hard to refine and taking over a year to finish: my latest Kickstarter collection (the fleur-maid pins) were really tough to get right! 

Do you find there is much crossover between your background in animation and your illustration and pin-making design process?

Definitely! Animation (when you’re working on commercial projects especially) is good for teaching you how to interpret and capture other artists’ styles. I learnt how to draw in a variety of ways and how to break down these styles into their core elements. Pin design also shares a lot in common with the 2D animation art styles I prefer. They both focus on linework, flat colour, movement, and readability.

Are there any other design mediums or challenges you’re hoping to try and tackle one day?

I’d love to be able to finish a graphic novel and get that printed physically. There are a few stories that have been rattling around my brain for a decade or so and I’d love to be able to get them onto the page.

Amongst your enamel pin collections is a series of pins focused on the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Why did you want to focus on this particular hormonal disorder in your work? 

I was diagnosed with PCOS in high school with what I was told was ‘lean PCOS’ and encouraged not to Google it online as most of the advice back then was just to lose weight. I now realise I was very fortunate to have obvious symptoms and a family doctor that knew anything about the condition. Some people go undiagnosed for many, many years. 

As I’ve gotten older, I realised that there was a lot about PCOS I’d never heard about, and every doctor would tell me something different or new about it (there’s still a lot they don’t know about the condition as well). For me, PCOS also changes presentation as health, stress, and lifestyle fluctuate throughout my life. 

The series was something I started sketching a few years prior and I finally took the leap to creating a series in 2020.

What has the response been like to this series' focus on invisible illness?

I was surprised by the overwhelming response the series received, and I’m so happy the designs were able to connect with so many people. It’s something that affects a large portion of the population, but isn’t really talked about openly. 

I believe a lot of people were touched to see a series exploring the symptoms of PCOS in a style that turned something quite frustrating into something beautiful that could spark discussion and spread awareness. Many people sent me private messages in which they shared their personal experiences and emotional connection with the designs. 

The Kickstarter series was initially six pins, but with how quickly those designs were funded, I had to quickly add more since there were many I hadn’t covered (ending up with nine extra symptoms illustrated in a really short time). 

I still get asked to create pins for other invisible illnesses, and I’d love to be able to get some of the more common ones drafted next year.

Alongside health conditions, much of your work explores mythology, nature and femininity. What is it about these concepts that you find interesting for your design?

I’m drawn to narratives and characters and these concepts flow into storytelling and character design quite readily. I also like variety and learning how to draw new things, or reinterpreting common stories with a new lens. 

Sometimes it works out, and other times not so much. I feel like I’m still learning and growing my art style, a process that will probably never end!

What’s next on the horizon for Oh Jessica Jessica?

There are a few projects I’ve put on the back burner for quite awhile like my Greek Goddess Inktober series started in 2019 and the previously mentioned comics. 

I’m also halfway through building an online shop to supplement my Etsy store which turned into a lot more work than expected. I’d really love to get those finalised and then give myself space to start new things. I’m also always trying to get the work/life balance more…balanced. Fingers crossed next year I’ll be better at that!

You can learn more about Jessica and her work on her website or Etsy and follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

INTERVIEW: NATALIE WILLIAMS
PHOTOGRAPHY: JESSICA HARRIS