Artist Jessica Gorlicky is known for paintings as colorful as her personality. She’s literally exploding—like her canvases—with creativity. Gorlicky’s works don the walls of trendy restaurants, major retail locations and hipster hideaways.
She also does performance art and in effect combined the two while traveling across Canada as a “live painter.” That adventure led to a now-viral YouTube series called Art In Motion. Gorlicky captured the raw art of creating in all kinds of unconventional places: the subway, alleys, beach and even the aisle of a moving plane.
To learn more about this truly original voice in the art world, we quizzed Gorlicky about her sweet, one-of-kind life.
Who first taught you to embrace your unfettered creativity?
My parents threw some markers, crayons, papers and coloring books at me early on. It was a soothing and happy time. I remember being alone in my thoughts, happy to spend some time just playing and chilling. This was always something I could escape with, even now as an adult. My parents also being creative—not in their professional lives, but as people and individuals—gave me all the opportunities to seek what made me feel and be happy.
Why Toronto? What inspires you about the city?
Toronto, born and raised. It has given me so much culture, exposure to the world and its many facets, and a huge metropolitan, exciting city that has grown with me and helped form who I am as a human and an artist. I respect and love this city tremendously. Currently I’m living in Brooklyn as well as Toronto, finding new inspiration and absolutely loving it. Brooklyn reminds me a lot of Queen Street West in Toronto. It has a vibe and a rustic, grungy, artistic flair that speaks volumes to me on the regular.
What’s a recent project that you’re especially passionate about?
I renovated a new studio/gallery space in Toronto’s Design District. It was a huge endeavor to construct the space, and curate and expose the venue as a whole. It’s a constant work in progress. As a performance artist, an artist who accepts commissioned works the gallery studio space is like a third full-time job. I’m extremely excited that I’ve been able to have this home base and that it continues to inspire me and those around me each and every day.
What do you do outside of art to relax, release, renew?
I find peace and beauty in so much surrounding me like simple walks with music. I call it “dance walking”—literally walking and dancing my ass off. Sometimes I can’t get to the party or event I may want to dance my face off at, so I make it happen on my own time! I let people stare and laugh, because I know at times it must be a friggin’ hilarious scene. I’ve also been frequenting yoga, sound meditations, comedy clubs and gallery openings whenever I can in NYC. Exploring new territory and adventuring out here has been pure bliss.
Any advice for artists just starting out?
Whatever you want, whatever you feel, whatever you need, whatever you do, wherever you are, whoever you are, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! And that each day is a new opportunity to explore you and all the unique offerings you can show the world around you. In the most unlikely of places I’ve found the world falling into place and the universe working for me. Envision it. It will happen!
Favorite Nectar style? Where/how do you rock them?
I love Nectar—love the freestyle flow and uniqueness in their design. It’s so me. Honestly my style is so random: I love color and matching color with neutrals. I love the bright sunnies! The Pharaoh sunnies are rocking my world lately. Wish I had them all.
