JESSICA ARCHER

As a Canadian artist, I'm recognized for my lifelike portraits inspired by comic art.  My pencil drawings depict comic book characters with realism against a negative space backdrop.  The face takes center stage, intricately detailed with textures and tonal values drawing the viewer into the person's profile.  

My passion for comic books and collecting, and their influence on contemporary pop culture shapes my work.  I explore nostalgic connection people have with childhood icons and their transition into adulthood.  Through my art, I revisit memories of iconic superheroes and their impact on my life.

Each portrait, set against a negative space, invites the viewer to focus on the intricate details.  Using graphite and charcoal powders, pencils, and coloured pencils combined with blending techniques, I bring the characters to life, making them tangible and relatable.  

The level of detail in my drawings offers a new perspective, presenting these personalities as real individuals.  I aim to bridge cultural, age, and gender divides, celebrating comic art's universality and it's ability to evoke joy and nostalgia.

In today's diverse pop culture landscape, comic books and their characters resonate with everyone.  I want my portraits to unite people from all backgrounds, evoking shared childhood memories and inspiring a sense of wonder and connection.  Comic books are for everyone, and through art I aim to share the magic and inspiration they've brought me since childhood.

" My drawings are a convergence of the things I love, the process of learning my craft and, sharing what I know.  Art is for everyone and I am an artist who believes in supporting others, advocating positivity and kindness through the arts."

I am a Canadian artist who from an early age loved to draw, colour and superheroes! Throughout my school years I had extreme difficulty academically as I was diagnosed with dyslexia and, although I never maintained the the same level of grades as my peers-my grades were poor and passed with a C or D average, I did well in my art classes.  Feeling like an outsider from my peers I took comfort and joy in my hobbies. I have loved drawing since I was a kid and would spend hours  looking at looking at comic books, drawing them and sketching celebrities from my favourite movies.

Comic books have played a huge role in my life personally and creatively.  I have been collecting comics from a young age and they also taught me how to draw; learning  and studying from Stan Lee and Sal Buscema's How To Draw The Marvel Way.  They helped get me through depression as they kept me positively occupied and, have met amazing people that have changed my life.  My past times have been with me through multiple moves, various stages in my life and have served as a comfort in the more difficult times and the reason why I love them so much and continue to make them a part of my everyday life and work.  It is the things we love that make us who we are and to this day I continue to combine my collecting with my artwork. 

I finally got the opportunity to be at the same level of education ( well sort of lol) when I got accepted into the fine art program at Fanshawe College where I studied from various established artists such as Gary Spearin.  While I still struggled with my learning disability it was Gary who encouraged me not to give up on my dream of being in the arts and became a positive influence. Gary always pushed me to try new things in my work and it has stuck with me! I am a diverse artist who enjoys learning new mediums, techniques and themes.  I have dabbled in painting but my main focus and love is for portrait drawing.  I am continuing portrait work  combining my  passions, focusing on realism and experimenting with new methods as well as colour.  

It was later in life when I discovered practicing artist Sergio Gomez who has shown and helped so many artists including myself that it is possible to have a career in the arts.  Still living with dyslexia it has always made my life more difficult especially in terms of having a more  academically inclined career and the reason I have always gravitated towards art. Believe me it's still a ton of hard work and learning but it's a different kind of learning and one I could and can understand easily.  Anything is possible if you put the work in! Many times I thought to myself   could I achieve this?  I didn't want to go back to school to be in debt just to struggle.  Through his mentorship and joining his mentoring group Art Next Level I learned a whole new side of being an artist and that it was very possible for someone like me to have a career in art!

I still struggle with my dyslexia but, Sergio's positivity and optimism helped reignite my goals and passion for learning. His simplified ways of teaching and breaking things down made me excited to learn and that it was indeed possible to have my dream career! My journey hasn't always been an easy one but, I look back at those hard times with gratitude, lessons and learning experiences. Without those roadblocks I might not have had the opportunities that I have been blessed with currently.  I have been very fortunate to have had so many opportunities already and grateful for the kindness of others for sharing their knowledge.

Bringing artists and people together and promoting positivity through art on my platforms is one of my goals.  Going forward I still continue my mission of giving back with projects like Project Kindness, and my newest project-ArtChik; supporting women in comics, collecting and artistic expression! 

 I have learned so much from others that giving back will always be important to me.  Wether connecting through hobbies, art or  a cause  art is for everyone!

I would like to add that none of this would be possible without my parents, my mom and her unlimited kindness and support, who used to drive me to the comic shop so I could buy a book when we didn't have a lot because she knew how much I loved them, for showing me we should help others if we can, and my stepdad for being my true dad and unwavering support for anything I choose to do.  Forever grateful to my ma and pa bear!  

I invite you all to visit the links on my website and discover my life in art! If you feel a connection to my work I invite you to be a part of my journey just visit the contact page or click on the message icon. 

Sincerely,

Jess Archer