Community directory

Jessica Rost - Painter / Sculptor / Community Artist / Project Manager (Berkhamsted)

Artist's statement:
Jessica has travelled with her work, exhibiting and taking part in Art Festivals, international workshops and Symposia. Her first trip to Lithuania was in 1998 when she took part in an International Painting Symposium. She was invited to return and given an exhibition in Kaunas in 2003. In 2002, Jessica was selected to take part in The Cork Midsummer Festival in Ireland where she was commissioned to create a temporary car sculpture. Also in 2002 Jessica took part in a festival, ‘Tor Sapienza’ in Rome, Italy and in the same year exhibited in a two person show in Munich, Germany. In 2005 she went on a development trip, supported by the Arts Council of England, to Trinidad for the Carnival season and was selected to take part in Braziers International Workshop, Oxfordshire. In 2006 Jessica was selected for an Arts Council International fellowship in Bangladesh, where she spent two months making work for an exhibition at the Goethe Institute, Dhaka. Jessica has also travelled to the former USSR, Sweden, USA and around Europe.

Jessica has been practising as an artist since graduating in 1991 and also working as a community artist since moving to Milton Keynes in 1996. She runs master classes and in education, works on commissions, exhibits her work, performs to a camera, makes video art films, undertakes residencies and she also project manages, administrates and co-ordinates artist led events.

Grants & Awards:
2006 Arts Council England International fellowship in Bangladesh;
2005, Arts Council England research trip to Trinidad Carnival;
2002, Southern and South East Arts for exhibition ‘Kindred Roots’ in Germany;
2000, Gedas International (part of VW) 1st prize, presented in Hanover, Germany;
1998, Southern Arts development funding to travel to Lithuania;
1996, Milton Keynes Arts Association grant for solo show;
1995, Whitbread Business Award for Fine Art.

Commissions:
2005 Lead Artist, Dee Park Regeneration Project, Reading;
2004 Octopus Beech Hut, Harwich, Essex;
2003 Maid of Milton Keynes, Interaction, Milton Keynes;
2003 Exterior sculptures, Stantonbury Campus, Milton Keynes;
2003 Metal Chickens, Living Well Health Club, UK;

Exhibitions:
2007 ‘Death of a Cockroach’;
2007 ‘Estate of being’;
2006 ‘The Birthday Bash’;
2005-6 Dee Park Regeneration Program;
2004 Stantonbury Campus, Milton Keynes;
2004 Giants Head.

Publications:
2006, ‘We are the artists’, quarterly international newspaper for artists by artists
2003 - Open University course book for European Culture Studies;
2002 - Munich press, articles covering the exhibition ‘Kindred Roots’;
2001 - Lithuanian National press covering ‘Memoirs of my travels’ exhibition;
2000 - Evening Standard.

Workshops/Symposia/Residencies:
2006 - Britto Arts Trust, Arts Council international fellowship, Bangladesh;
2005 - Braziers International workshop, Braziers House, Oxfordshire;
2005-06 Dee Park Regeneration Project Lead Artist, Reading
2004 - Hidden Dimensions 3rd International Artist Symposium, Milton Keynes, UK;
2002 - Car is the Star Car sculpture for Cork Midsummer Festival, Cork, Ireland Tor Sapienza in Arte Visual Arts festival, Rome, Italy;
2000 - City a Vessel for Souls 1st International Artist Symposium, Milton Keynes, UK Artist in Residence at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire, UK;
1989 - At the new point V International Artist Symposium, Kaunas, Lithuania.