Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Booth.
Hi Jessica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Swansea, Wales, U.K. and immigrated to St. Augustine, as an infant, so I’m almost a local. Growing up in the nation’s oldest city shaped my love for art and storytelling, though my path took an unexpected turn when I was five years old. On a visit to the old Gatorland Zoo, which once stood between St. Augustine and Jacksonville along US 1, I was attacked by a bear. I’ve been an “accidental lefty” ever since.
Fortunately, my Mom, Dr. Patricia Falaney, a St. Johns County teacher and later the Principal of Durbin Creek Elementary School was trained in helping children develop fine motor skills through art and manipulatives. I was originally right-handed, but her guidance helped me adapt to being a new lefty. What could have been a setback became the foundation of my artistic journey. In 1984, I received a myoelectric hand and have been “bionic” ever since.
Art gave me an identity. I wasn’t the one-handed kid—I was the kid who could draw. After graduating from St. Joseph’s Academy in St. Augustine, I earned a BFA in Illustration, a master’s degree in Sculpture and Art Education, and an Educational Specialist degree in Administration and Leadership.
I’ve worked as an artist, art educator, and for the last 15 years as an arts administrator focused on helping others have access to art education and finding their creative voice. I truly believe art has the power to help people express who they are and see the world in new ways. Recently, I returned home to St. Augustine Beach to be closer to family and to spend more time in my studio. It feels good to be back where it all began—creating, teaching, and continuing to adapt and grow through art.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being disabled presents obvious physical challenges that fostered a lifelong commitment to creativity and resilience. Learning to navigate a world designed for two-handed people requires constant problem-solving, perseverance, and the ability to reimagine how to interact with materials, tools, and artistic processes in much the same way as an artist transforms limitations into artworks through adaptation and storytelling. My sculptures intersect the natural and mechanical worlds like I do, with a bit of a grin and a sense of hope.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My mixed-media sculptures explore the intersection between the natural and mechanical worlds. As an amputee with a bionic hand, that intersection is literally part of my life, but it’s also something we all experience in the modern age. Industrial gears, metallic elements, and wires are often intertwined with organic materials such as clay, crystals, and driftwood in my work, reflecting the tension and harmony between technology and nature.
A transformative trip to Japan through the Japanese Fulbright Memorial Scholarship early in my art teaching career reshaped my artistic perspective. I was deeply inspired by the concept of interactive art, pieces that carry personal meaning for their owners. The Japanese Daruma doll, a simple red papier-mâché figure symbolizing perseverance and good fortune, sparked this idea. Traditionally, one eye is filled in with ink when a goal is set, and the other when that goal is achieved. I was captivated by how this small object could serve as a daily reminder of one’s goals.
That experience became the foundation for my Dreamers series—a body of figurative sculptures that invite personal participation. While their eyes remain closed, representing our dreams, the works are intentionally interactive. Each piece includes a hidden chamber or glass vessel where the owner can place a written goal or resolution. In this way, the sculpture becomes more than an object, it becomes a vessel for dreams and a tangible reminder of goals the owner has for love, success, health, and fulfillment.
My work is represented by Acacia Tree Gallery on historic Aviles Street in St. Augustine. In addition to my traditional figure study artworks and the Dreamers series, I create commissioned Dreamer sculptures for weddings, where the artwork becomes part of the ceremony itself. During their vows, couples place a written wish for their union inside the sculpture, making it a lasting symbol of their shared hopes and dreams.
As I transition from arts administration to working full-time as an artist, I’m seeking to partner with wedding planners interested in offering Wedding Dreamers as meaningful keepsakes for their clients after being used in the wedding ceremony and exhibit my artwork in more places. St. Augustine is such a supportive place for artists in our area.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Jesbooth.com
- Instagram: Jesboothartist
- Other: https://www.acaciatreegallery.com
