JLP Art

05/24/2026

Hello 👋🏻 everyone!!!

I am so excited to share with you guys that I will be the live performing artist for the Artist In The Park event in Springfield on Friday, July 24th from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm! You can look for me underneath the gazebo that is nearest Jefferson St. at Union Square Park. This live art session will be a collaborative project between myself and •up to 40 attendees• of “Artist In The Park” who wish to participate! I can’t do this by myself - to make this idea come to life, I need YOU ALL to help me by taking a small step into my favorite space…. The World of Art! Whether you •feel• like you are an artist or not is not important ♥️This is all about free expression, and please trust me when I say that you will find out that you ARE capable of producing something beautiful & making art - even with no training!

And… it’s free to join in!!!
🚫 NO 💲 NECESSARY 🚫

If you want to be a part of a fun and interactive project that will showcase all of our creative talents together, mark the date below on your calendar! You aren’t going to want to miss this. What I have planned out for the event is hands-on, inclusive of all gender identities/expressions, sensory friendly, and most importantly of all - a FUN - activity for ALL ages and I encourage you to join! Infants/toddlers are warmly welcomed (just as any other age) but may need a •little• assistance from an adult or guardian! I am also willing to assist in any ways needed!

(Oh - and did I mention that it’s free?) 😉

Stay tuned for more to come, such as a sneak peek into the project, dates/times of live streaming event(s) through my 🎨JLPArt business page on Facebook, and… I will be posting information in the coming weeks letting you know how YOU can be the •proud owner• of this one-of-a-kind piece of art - made with love and care, uniting people of all ages, gender identities, backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life right here in the heart of Illinois - while also doing our part to support the Springfield Area Arts Council!*
Note: There will also be a donation box for Springfield Area Arts Council set up at my station - 100% of the money placed in that box will go to SAAC!

I really hope to see you there 🎨🍀♥️ Come hang out and peruse the assorted food trucks from 11:00 am to 12 noon. After you get your grub on, meet me at the gazebo - the project starts at 12 pm sharp!

Oh - and I was told by the SAAC that it has been a couple of years since they have had a performing visual artist at the AITP event, so let’s make this one a year that they won’t forget!

Peace & love from your local small town artist!
- 🎨 Jess 🍀♥️✌🏻

‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

⬇️⬇️⬇️EVENT DETAILS⬇️⬇️⬇️

📅 Friday, July 24th 2026

🕐 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

📍The Gazebo @ Union Square Park
🗺️ 500 E Madison St S.
Springfield, IL 62701
(across from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library & Museum, in between N. 5th and N. 6th)

💦 Cold drinks provided with purchase of a koozie for 💲3 - Cash is preferred but Venmo, Cashapp, PayPal, and Apple Pay are also accepted!

📧 [email protected]

📞 (217) 331-2150 (text is preferred but will answer phone calls based on availability!)

⌛️Time spent painting (per participant): 90 seconds

⚠️Enough time has been designated to allow for 40 participants max - so if you are wanting to participate, I encourage you to arrive as •CLOSE TO NOON• as possible that way you can secure a spot in line. Keep in mind that this is going to be a fast paced event! Since each person will be given 90 seconds, the line will be moving quickly. With that being said, I have taken steps to allot a bit of extra time in the case of any hiccups, persons needing assistance, sensory or accessibility needs, etc, however the event is advertised to end at 1:00 pm.

12/07/2025

Paint with Jess
- Winter Snowglobe-

12/07/2025

12/07/2025

Had a paint class with a group of girlfriends here in Athens yesterday evening! The “girls night” gathering was hosted at Erika’s place - I went to school with her and Justina (one gal in the group) back in 2009 at AHS.

We mingled and drank and got set up at a leisurely pace. We worked on our own time taking breaks when needed, which ensured a fun and relaxing environment. There was a beautiful Christmas tree set up, sweet doggies wanting all the attention, Wizard of Oz and Harry Potter was on in the background, punch, GREAT food (those funeral potatoes and cocktail weenies!), several inside jokes and lots of belly laughs. Ultimately, I think a fun time was had by all - and everyone’s paintings turned out fantastic! I love seeing how everyone’s design was clearly created from following the same steps, but each painting is different in its own way! For this class, we painted 8x10 spiral lined notebooks, which we all thought would be more useful than a canvas! One person is gifting it to her 14 year old niece (she included her and her boyfriend’s name on the bottom) and another person said she is going to wrap it for her young daughter and see if she laughs when she opens it. A few of the girls were a bit critical of their paintings but that’s just a part of art sometimes! I however find beauty in all the differences in artwork. But, I do know that it is a sad fact that we are usually our own worst critics.

My job is to show you that you can paint, too! It’s not just for the advanced, or the professional. It’s for everyone, young and old, experienced and inexperienced. And it can be an incredibly fun time ☺️

I was so grateful to get home and open my card - which included a generous tip and was signed by everyone who attended the class. It meant so much to me - the feeling I get from sharing the joy and peace that painting can bring your soul is immeasurable… but it is that feeling that keeps me wanting to continue what I’m doing!

Peace and love to you all! Remember to make it a great day!

11/28/2025

Oooh. Any pregnant mama’s out there want their belly painted? This sounds like fun!
I’ve dabbled in body and face painting and have tons of colors… and there is NOTHING I’m afraid to try!

🩵 Belly painting is one of those experiences that stays with you. The sweetness, the connection, the tiny flutters as baby reacts to every brush stroke 🥹 I got to paint this adorable Snowglobe design on my sister-in-law Marjorie right before she met her little holiday baby, and it still makes me feel all warm and fuzzy 🥰

11/24/2025

I had a great afternoon yesterday teaching a paint class to Girl Scout troop #3641 (and a few family members who joined!)

The design for the event was based on the painting from the very last “Paint Nite” that my mom attended in Peoria, IL on August 30th, 2016. Very sadly and very unexpectedly she passed away in the early morning hours following the event. The painting she made the night before her passing was a big piece of the last moments of her life and I was grateful to get to share my own version of “Up At The Galaxy” with this group. While it is not an exact replication of the original painting (I didn’t want to feel like I was plagiarizing) I do think it is a good representation of the original painting. I think everyone yesterday did an amazing job - the group was kind, focused and followed directions. More importantly, I think that they all had a great time! One little girl even said that she would like to have a paint party for her birthday next year. I love having the opportunity to spread the happiness that painting can bring.

A big thank you to my sister, aunt, and fiancée for helping set up and cleaning up. Thank you to the girls for being kind and respectful - several of them even came up and told me thank you! Thank you to the parents who were there and helped me out in any way with the girls. And thank you to the doctor who worked with my mom in Peoria whose donation to Troop #3641 sponsored yeaterday’s event.

Remember to make it a great day.

♥️ Jessica

11/21/2025

Wise words from a great man. Some of my earliest memories were of watching Bob Ross on PBS. I firmly believe that is where my love for art truly began.

11/03/2025

With everything going on at the moment (life is a constant whirlwind!) I had to pause and take a long moment to soak in all the feels from this sweet Christmas list from my friends Eric & Krista’s daughter, Madison. This kid has been through hell and back with lifelong health complications out of her control but she has stayed so resilient and is always smiling when I’ve seen her. Honestly her attitude towards life is inspiring, and I can’t believe that time spent drawing with me is a Christmas wish. You better believe I’m gonna make it happen in a way she will never forget! ♥️

Don’t forget you have little eyes watching you! This was my reminder 🥹