Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Tevik
Hi Jessica, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a queer interdisciplinary artist, massage therapist, and earth steward. A deeply rooted relationship with the earth and a passion for all things creativity keeps me going. My creative work is deeply inspired by the intertwining of my love for the earth, my passions for and roots in the study of physics, massage therapy, yoga, art, sustainable agriculture, climate science, and more.
After spending several years traveling, farming, and studying bodywork, my home, my massage school, and my workplace were all burned in a large California wildfire. After that, my entire life was reorganized and transformed. This led me to complete more bodywork training elsewhere and eventually return to school for photography after a series of more unfortunate but transformative events.
Photography and art have followed me my entire life, but I never let them fully take the reins until I felt I had nothing else to turn to. My grandfather was responsible for putting a camera in my hand, and I have been fascinated ever since. Art school helped me realize that photography and art have more dimensions than I ever realized. My goal is to allow as many or as few dimensions that inspire me for each project to emerge. I also am inspired to incorporate layers of meaning and intention into my work.
Ultimately, my wish is to share my love for nature to inspire deeper nourishing relationships with nature and others and to empower action in sustainability and radical care of self/other/earth.
My creative work is largely interdisciplinary, including but not limited to explorations in photography, poetry, book arts, printmaking, design, collage, digital art, and acrylic painting. I focus almost entirely on the natural world to express a deep personal reverence and a desire to share my passion for protecting it. However, I am also often inspired by abstraction and the often hidden beauty in urban environments. I try to incorporate as many found/recycled materials as possible because sustainability and respect for nature are foundational to my practice and intentions as an artist.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been many struggles in many forms, but also some wonderfully serendipitous and supportive circumstances that I’m grateful for to balance it out and keep a space for me to step onto to keep going. My childhood was not one I would consider easy, with quite difficult family circumstances, the eventual loss of my mother, and difficulties in school (likely due to undiagnosed neurodivergence). I wasn’t sure where to turn and how to find somewhere to step after high school. Art and physics classes were some of the only things that got me through my senior year. Thankfully, I found a college that nourished my diverse interests and pointed me in unique directions and my grandparents gave me a nudge to give it a chance.
After school, I ended up living in a community in California and put down roots. Unfortunately, the wildfires had other ideas. My home, my job, and the massage school I had just started attending all burned down within a few hours. In hindsight, all struggles point to a blessing in disguise, even if it’s really hard to see. I ended up turning in other exciting directions. I ended up at another amazing place with a massage school and finishing that certification as well as being able to continue traveling. Eventually, after some years of dedicating myself to it, my career as a massage therapist proved to be unsustainable due to physical injury and underlying conditions. I was stuck reframing my life. I had always kept art on the side but could never let it go. It became the only thing to step onto.
I decided to go back to school and return back to my hometown to do it. Pushing through some difficult memories and harsh winter, I found home and beauty back in my original home. Unfortunately, I was in school when the pandemic hit. I was also an older non-traditional student. This forced isolation transcended my integration of passion projects/interests.
Now, I am dedicated to keeping my passions alive while working to integrate more political and sustainability oriented themes into my work. I have found a way to continue to practice massage therapy on the side while working at a camera store full-time and practicing art on the side.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is largely interdisciplinary, including but not limited to explorations in photography, poetry, book arts, printmaking, design, collage, digital art, and acrylic painting. I focus almost entirely on the natural world to express a deep personal reverence and a desire to share my passion for protecting it. However, I am also often inspired by abstraction and the often
hidden beauty in urban environments. I try to incorporate as many found/recycled materials as possible because sustainability and respect for nature are foundational to my practice and intentions as an artist. I am most proud of my transmutation of my struggles, my integration of interests, my drive to grow and help others, and my constant drive for compassion, integrity, and authenticity. I am also very proud of my career as a massage therapist. Despite many hurdles, I feel I have cultivated a holistic well of knowledge and tools to use in support of others feeling more healthy and vibrant in their own lives. This has brought a deep sense of purpose to my life, and I hope to continue to cultivate that sense of purpose for my creative practices as well.
Any big plans?
My plans are to see through my current endeavors and to continue to find ways to transform and ground my creative practice with the hope of sharing my work more publicly and intentionally one day. My current work has led me down an exciting path that has triggered and inspired a way to branch out with my passion for creativity, so I’m excited to see where that leads. I also would love to continue to find tools and ways to keep my massage therapy practice alive and sustainable while I balance it with other things.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jessicatevikart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatevik_art/
