Artist Spotlight: Jessie Justmann

Anna Hainze

Senior Studio Art and Art History double major Jessie Justmann started drawing at a very young age. Known for her odd habit of pausing the video for lengthy amounts of time so she could draw everything on screen, she has since matured both in artistic taste and medium, though sketchpad doodles á la television set may be making a comeback soon. In fact, she just exhibited a number of her works, mainly figure paintings, at the Senior Show, held in Wriston on Friday.
But why art at Lawrence? “I chose Lawrence because when I came for a campus visit, it just seemed to fit with what I was looking for. I really wanted to attend a small school, and a school that really focuses on the academic life. The rest just fell into place,” said Justmann.
As it turns out, Lawrence has been a great fit for Jessie, as she draws much of her artistic inspiration from her Wriston companions. When asked who the artists were that particularly inspired her, she replied, “I would say the fellow artists that I met at Lawrence during my time here. Everyone has a different style and view that is uniquely them.”
Besides the Senior Show, Jessie also recently participated in “Poetics,” the collaborative project in which the Digital Processes class teamed up with LU poets from the Advanced Poetry class to create a film based on each poem. In more immediate news, Jessie also has a public art piece, which will be put up on campus soon; though she won’t discuss what it is or when it will be displayed. Definitely keep your eyes peeled!