Jess Silva is a Brazilian-born artist currently living and working in Kent, UK. Having spent over 15 years in the UK, her creative practice is shaped by both the rich, expressive visuals of her upbringing in Brazil and the quiet, seasonal rhythms of the English countryside. This duality between vibrant and muted, tropical and temperate continues to inform the tone and texture of her work.

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Jess studied Textile Print at the University of the Arts London (UAL), where she first discovered printmaking through surface design. Over time, her practice naturally shifted towards fine art, as she began using print as a way to explore personal narratives, memory, and emotional connection to place. Though her methods continue to evolve, the tactile, hands-on nature of printmaking remains at the heart of her work.

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Working mainly with linocut and mixed-media print techniques, Jess draws inspiration from direct observation of the natural world such as wildflowers, branches, seed heads, and shifting light. Many of her prints begin with simple sketches or photographs taken on quiet walks, later developed into layered compositions that reflect a moment, a memory, or a fleeting emotion. These recurring natural motifs form a visual language that ties her work together, giving it a sense of rhythm and continuity.

Her style is characterised by its subtle detail and gentle presence. Rather than making loud statements, Jess creates work that invites close looking, prints that offer space for calm, reflection, and emotional resonance. There’s often a nostalgic quality to her pieces, as she explores themes of impermanence, longing, and the small, often overlooked moments that connect us to the landscape around us.

 

Jess is continually exploring new techniques and materials while staying grounded in traditional, analogue print processes. For her, carving and printing by hand is not just a method but a meaningful, meditative way of working, one that mirrors the pace and stillness of the subjects she returns to again and again.

As her practice develops, Jess remains focused on the intersection of nature, memory, and printmaking. Through quiet, considered imagery and an intuitive connection to the world around her, she creates work that honours both the emotional and the everyday.