Jessica is a sculptor, director, maker, writer and a performance artist. She is interested in ecology, animality and environmental issues, and mostly lives off-grid.
A member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, she works in metal and mixed media -welding, carving, assemblages, film, sound and textiles- creating installation, alternative living structures, sculpture, public art, unique costumes, spoken word, large puppets, art bikes and structures – much of which involves natural or recycled materials.
Over the last few years Jessica has been involved in some national projects including Heard, a project to fabricate giant sheep in Huddersfield, Work to create Ear trumpets at National Trust properties across UK, and Sanctuary, the creation of an installation at the National Memorial Arboretum.
In 2022 Jessica undertook a residency at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, (YSP), and has a piece, Flower and Thorn, in their permanent collection. She finished studying for an MFA at University of Leeds in 2021 and graduated with a distinction. She was in residence as ‘Creative Caretaker’ at Wild Rumpus in Cheshire 2021-23.
Alongside her solo practice she has worked for the last ten years as a freelancer producer, theatre deviser and artistic director of outdoor arts. She runs her own company Rost Productions ltd, which is a collaboration of makers, technicians and performers who create outdoor installation and street theatre, which tours across the UK.
She co-founded Festive Road in 2005 -an MK based community interest company – for which she developed, raised funding and project managed the creative direction of, for many years (2008-2018). Here she was delivering artist training programmes, outreach projects, making and producing street theatre work, outdoor shows, public art commissions, workshops and many celebratory events.
Selected solo Performances:
2024 Gasping Goldie performed in association with Melodrome stage and Uncommon stage
2020 Becoming Batty performed at The Tetley, Leeds and Common Ground, Blackburn
2017 Safe 2 hour live-streamed performance, (welding herself into a cage) at MK Gallery
2011 As it is in Life, as it is in Death, as it is in Art performed at Westbury Arts Centre
2010 Darwinia’s Random Selection Scratch performance at The Fishmarket in Northampton
2008 Gasping Goldie performed at Artwash, laundrette, Oxford & OU, Milton Keynes
2006 Road to Plastic Democracy (British Council Fellowship), Goethe Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2005 Arachne Revealed Braziers International Workshop, Braziers Park, Oxfordshire
Solo exhibitions of Sculpture:
2022 YSP Residency Flower and Thorn on exhibition at the park for a year 2022-23
2015 Compulsive Collectors Temporary space, old nightclub in Milton Keynes
2009 Not in My Name Kaunas Gallery, Lithuania
2008 Kindred Roots Kunsterein Ebersberg, Munich
2007 Plastic Democracy Goethe Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Select group exhibitions of Sculpture and Installation:
2020 Pause Interim MA Show, Freehold Project Space, Leeds
2019 Undercurrent Digital & Electronic Arts group, gallery take over, NN Contemporary
2018 2nd Point of Contact with artists Emma Talbot & Claire Summerson, MK Museum
2009 Make it The Fishmarket, Northampton
2008 From Inside Out: Feminist Art then and now Dr M.T. Geoffrey Yeh, Art Gallery, New York
Solo grants & awards:
2021 Yorkshire Sculpture Park Graduate Award 2021
2018 MK Community Foundation, Arts Bursary
2018 Arts Council England, Developing Creative Practice Award
2011 Creative Northants Bursary
2006 British Council International fellowship in Bangladesh
Work in Arts Education:
Jessica has delivered numerous creative projects in schools and now focuses mainly on public and community participation work -most recently working on a public engagement project with Vodafone UK. As Artistic Director at Festive Road, (2005-2018), she helped deliver hundreds of workshops and community led projects. Between 2008 and 2011 Jessica was working as a Creative Agent and a practitioner for UK Centre for Carnival Arts in Luton and as a lead artist for various schools in Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire. Jessica has also taught drawing, sculpture and design in further education at GNVQ and Art Foundation level.
Partnerships, Commissions, & Residencies:
2024 Wild Rumpus Giant Pumpkin & tentacle steel fabrications for Chester Zoo
2023 Sanctuary Outdoor installation created for National Memorial Arboretum
2023 Heard Fabrication of giant sheep in association with Artichoke and Rag & Bone, in Huddersfield
2022-24Wild Rumpus several commissions for large illuminations for outdoor trails and installations
2022 Pavilions of Play National Trust Commission to create large steel Ear Trumpets/listening devices
2022 Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2021 Graduate award (3 week residency, June 2022)
2022 Arizical Immersive installation for Design by Nature art trail, Chester (Feb-March 2022)
2021 The Return Immersive installation for Walk the Plank, Greenwich & Docklands Festival
2021 Wild Rumpus Creative Caretaker/Artist in residence June-August
2019 Green Gathering Sound and light installation, The Return
2018 Blackburn Festival of Light Artist in Residency and commission for the festival
2018 Emergency Exit Arts The Inventor’s Imaginarium, Lead Artist & Commission
2018 Handmade Parade Commission & Partnership –Eva the Polar Bear puppet
2018 Walk the Plank Commission to create a mechanical Peacock puppet
2018 Manchester Day Parade Lead Artist, working with communities in South Manchester
2017 Transform Public Sculpture commission for Waste Recovery Park, MK
2016 Transform: India Residency in Ahmadabad, India, creating art with construction workers
2013 Darwinia’s Random Selection Street Theatre developed as part of Escalator Outdoor Arts
2012 Carnival Crossroads –Eastbound Lead designer for Norwich, Cultural Olympiad, UKCCA
2011 Windmill Primary School Oxford, Creative Partnership change school (1yr)
2010 Farley Hill Junior School Luton, Creative Partnership change school, Lead artist (1yr)
09-11 Northbourne Primary Oxfordshire, Creative Partnership change school, Lead artist (3 yrs)
2009 Fishmarket Project space and scratch events at the Fishmarket, Northampton (4 months)
2008 UKCCA Luton Creative partnership, Ashcroft High School (2yrs)
Producing, Curating & Artistic Directing:
2024 Wild Rochester, curating and artistic director of light trail for Walk the Plank
2024 Area coordinator of The Uncommon stage and area at Green Gathering
2022-24 Performing and directing street theatre at Green Gathering, & many other events
2021 Making and perform of Cuckoo Takeover, cycle-powered show, Solfest, Just So Festival
2019 Devising and directing Pockets of Resistance, performed at MK Gallery, Bedlam Fair
2018 Devising and directing Peddlers Pack: so many things you’ve never seen before, performing at Bedlam Fair, MK Festival Fringe, LakesAlive! and Winter Droving
2018 Devising and directing Steam Hammer Annual Rally & Picnic, performing at Spare Parts festivals in NW: Fleetwood, Sandbach and Crewe.
2017 Directing and producing touring walkabout show The Futurists
2015 Directing Best Company touring show, part of WW1 commemorations Jun-Sept 2015
2013 Directed an outdoor show Fair Play which toured across SE England in 2013
2012-2017 Milton Keynes Festival Fringe –direct and produce a multimedia arts festival
2011 -2012 Curated public exhibition spaces in Central Milton Keynes for Fringemk:Westbury
2009-2012 ‘Brewing U, a visual and musical arts experiment, London 2012 Inspire Mark project
Education and training:
MA Fine Art -distinction 2019-20, (graduation date extended to 2021 due to Covid-19)
B.A Hons. Fine Art –2:1 1988-91, Birmingham Polytechnic
GNVQ Basic Engineering 1992-93, Decorum College, Hemel Hempstead
Jessica has had training and is skilled in the following:
Animation, Metal work and welding, Carving, casting and modelling, Public Art, Bookbinding, Liquid Light Photography, Film Making and Sound, Basket weaving, Costume making, Video Performance, Large-scale lantern structures, Stilt walking, Street Theatre, Dramaturge, Puppet making & puppetry.
View on line: Website: www.jessicarost.co.uk