ARTIST STATEMENT

Jessica is a British-Australian artist living in Brighton, UK. Her work explores the tension between the natural and the man-made, blending traditional figurative painting with the bold aesthetics of pop art, graphic forms, and vibrant colour. Rooted in a diverse background spanning environmental policy, managing big data projects, and classical studies, her practice is driven by a fascination with how humanity both shapes and is shaped by the objects it creates.

Throughout history, civilisations have been defined by the artifacts they leave behind. Today, material goods are produced on an unprecedented scale—objects so ubiquitous they become part of the visual and cultural landscape. Jessica’s work interrogates this relationship, questioning whether these manufactured forms are an extension of the natural world or exist separately from it. By placing classical figurative painting in dialogue with mass-produced, pop-infused elements, she examines the evolving interplay between identity, consumption, and environment.

Jessica has exhibited in both Australia and the UK, with her first solo show in Brighton in 2024. Her work was shortlisted for the Wales Contemporary in 2022 and longlisted for the Women in Art Prize in 2023 and 2024.

ArtCan Member Artist

Current Exhibitions

April 19 - June 21 2025 ‘Time is the Real Currency’ Mid Street Lab Gallery, Brighton.

Selected Past Exhibitions and Competitions

  • Jackson’s Art Prize 2025, extended longlist

  • Transport for London, Colleague art exhibition, Corporate Offices, October, 2024.

  • Women in Art Prize 2024, pre selected

  • ‘From Florence to Pop’ Solo Show. 12 May to 7 June 2024, Yellow Book (in collaboration with Sweet Venues Brighton)

  • ‘AIR Open’(online exhibition), AIR Gallery website https://www.artsteps.com/view/64b7ce720fb6add0eb0b4c08/?currentUser

  • ‘Take Time’ Ilkley Manor House, Ilkley UK 16 September to 15 October 2023.

  • Thamesside Studios Open Exhibition, Thamesside Studio Gallery, London. June 2023.

  • Women in Art Prize 2023 (formerly Hollybush), pre selected

  • Wales Contemporary Competition 2022 shortlist, Waterfront Gallery, Milford Haven (October - November) Gallery@oxo, London 30 November to 4 December 2022.

  • Art number 23, Athens, Greece. July 24 - 30 2020

  • A Night at the Museum, Fortyone gallery, Sydney, Australia, July 2019

  • May the Fourth Be With You, Fortyone gallery, Sydney, Australia, May 2019

Media

‘HAUS-A-REST’ Zine Issue 41 - Ageing - September 2023 https://www.haus-a-rest.com/new-page-45

‘Art Talk’ Podcast Interview - 13 May 2023 Apple YouTube Spotify

Education

  • 1:1 Mentoring - Catherine Bobkowski April - November 2022

  • 6 week intensive workshop - Florence Academy of Art February - March 2022

instagram @jessicasheehan_artist

Snapshot and footage from the @artcanorg postcard fundraiser last night in London ✨️ . My piece "Jasmine, Bottled" alongside work by @jessicadunnartist and @jenniesharmancox. There are still postcards available for sale via @artcanorg. Inc
My little canvas postcard "Jasmine, bottled" (15 x 10 cm oil, acrylic on canvas board) will be for sale next Wednesday at the "From artcan with love" fundraiser. As a new member, this is my first postcard event with @artcanorg ?
Still shot of "Medicine Jars" 2025, oil and acrylic on stretched canvas, 30 x 30cm. Natural objects, dried and stored in glass jars. A rose is different when fresh versus when dried. I doubt whether we can really bottle nature, but we do
I'll be invigilating (sitting in) at @mid_street_lab_brighton tomorrow 12-2pm. Come and say hi! I'll be in and out of the gallery over the next few weeks (got family currently staying from 🇦🇺 too, busy month!). Get in contact with me to check when
A fantastic write up in the @brightonjournal about our current exhibition at @mid_street_lab_brighton 'Time is the Real Currency'. It was also fabulous to see my painting Bored: Renoir Redux in the article image too, amongst gorgeous works from @cha