Jeffrey E Jessum

Artist Biography

Born and raised in Southern California, Jeffrey E Jessum began exploring visual art as an attempt to capture and communicate the rich visual dimension of inner life. Ever since he was a child he experienced the world through the lens of synesthesia in which different sense modalities would interweave to provide multi sensory experiences. This often took the form of complex visual representations of his thoughts, emotions, tactile and proprioceptive sensations as well as of music and sounds he was exposed to. As he began a more formal spiritual practice as a teen this visual imagery also began to interweave with his exploration of states of consciousness.

Jeff has also been significantly influenced by years of study in areas such as Psychology, Integral Theory, Mystical Traditions, Buddhist Contemplative Practice, Jana, Kundalini, and Bakti Yoga, Metta and Powa Practices, Energy Practices including Chi Gong, Subtle Body Energy Systems, Non-Ordinary States, HolotropicBreathwork, Classic and Contemporary Philosophy, Quantum Physics, Jungian Archetypes, Systems Theory, Chaos Theory, Attachment Theory and Interpersonal Relating Practices.

Today the majority of his visual art is inspired by his studies, spiritual practice and exploration of the many states of being that are always with us even when we are unaware of their presence.

Jeff uses a variety of digital mediums which incorporate digital painting and sculpting, digital photography and 3d modeling. For much of his work he use long exposures of ambient light sources as a starting point. These ambient light images are treated and used as a luminescent paint palette which he uses to paint and sculpt with. He refers to this process as “painting with light”.

In addition to being a visual artist Jeff is a clinical psychologist, author, musician and a father of two children. As a psychologist he works in private practice using an integral lens to orient his work with children, families, adults and couples. He is the author of the multiple award winning youth book on social relating called “Diary of a Social Detective”. Jeff is also a musician and a composer and his recent album “What Words Cannot Convey” features original solo acoustic instrumental finger style guitar music.