Jessica Poundstone + Otto Studio: Wallpaper, Murals & Tiles, Oh My!

I’m so thrilled to share something I’ve wanted to do for so long: bring a peel-and-stick wallpaper/mural/floor tile collection to the world! I worked with the amazing founders of Vancouver B.C.-based Otto Studio to bring it all to life. See the collection here, and keep scrolling for my interview with Otto Studio including my musings about color, emotion, and staying up way too late! :)

Interview With Otto Studio: Jessica Poundstone On Color and Emotion

Jessica Poundstone is an artist and designer based in Portland, Oregon, USA. The core of her practice is her belief that art can change the way we see, think and feel. Informed and inspired by color sensation, minimalism and “light and space” art movements, her work explores the way color affects us emotionally, combining color, structure and softness to create a space for contemplation, comfort and connection.

How and when did your brand and creative journey come to life?

I’ve always been an artsy kid, so I guess my creative journey has and will remain lifelong 🙂 I’d say the moment this phase of the journey came to life was, after regularly posting work to Instagram, I got a DM asking if prints were available. It really lit me up that someone out there liked the work enough to want to live with it. I haven’t looked back since!

Tell us about your biz.

My biz tagline is “Let’s think and feel in color!” I do that through offering prints to collectors, as well as working with interior designers, set decorators, art directors, publishers, and companies like Otto Studio to bring good vibes anywhere and everywhere 🙂

Tell us about some highlights in your career.

Most recently, a set decorator reached out to me to ask if I’d be willing to have my artwork included in The new “Mean Girls” musical movie! Of course I said yes, and going to the theater and seeing it in the movie was truly, truly bonkers. I also found a behind-the-scenes picture of the set where Tina Fey (one of my personal heroes) is standing right next to my artwork. Does it even get better than that???

What inspires you on a day-to-day basis?

I have always been an image-collector, and get so inspired looking at images of interiors, beautifully designed objects, and work from other artists. I am surrounded by books, and like to leave them open to random pages so they can be living breathing inspirations, instead of just hanging out on shelves. I have a bunch of electronic image files and screenshots that I’ll look at, and of course Instagram is a treasure trove of amazingness. (And hilarious dog videos, which make my life immeasurably better, hahaha.)

Tell us a bit about your capsule collection with Otto Studio. Why did you choose the patterns? What was your inspiration behind these patterns?

The collection has two distinct groups. The first grouping is wall murals, which are based on my Color Cloud and Hyperspectral Sensing collections. I love the idea of folks being able to experience that work in a large-scale, immersive way,

The second grouping is five repeat pattern designs, each of which have three colorways.These are truly just me having so much fun playing with colors and shapes that I love! It’s a pretty eclectic mix with a leaning toward geometric figures. One thread running through is that at least one colorway in each design includes the color pink. I cannot escape my love for pink! I definitely consider it to be a neutral 🙂

What would your advice be to your younger self, knowing what you know now about your career and journey? And to anyone else who is starting out as a creative?

I probably would have embarked on a creative career sooner in my life if I hadn’t been so worried about money! What I wish I would have known is that there are so many ways for creative folks today to support ourselves — teaching, direct sales, licensing, coaching, publishing to name just a few. Do not let skeptical folks convince you otherwise! Also, if you want to make a living with your creative skills, you don’t have to dive right in to trying to make it your full time gig. You can have a part time job — or several! Or you can do what I did for many years, which is to fit a creative practice into the hours of 11pm-2am. Just keep practicing the practice, and keep checking in with yourself about what feels right and good for you — and let that evolve over time to meet your evolving goals and needs.

Color Cloud Mural: “You’re Not Alone In This”

Which people or books have had the most influence on your creative growth/inspiration and why?

The French filmmaker Agnes Varda is a hero of mine: she has always been willing to bring her whole, quirky, brilliant, curious self to all of her projects. She has made documentaries, dramas, and even a few hilarious commercials all with her own flair, trusting her own vision and her own ideas. I also love the book “Wishcraft”, which I found via another book, “The Teenage Liberation Handbook”. Both books are basically conveying this message: your life is yours, don’t let other people or restrictive educational or social constructs dictate how to live it. I love that. Making your own way can be tricky, but it’s so worth it!

Talk about one of the biggest failures you’ve had. What did you learn from it?

My view on “failure” comes from a quote by the legendary actor and director André Gregory: “Everything leads to something.” I have experienced that truth so many times, I don’t even know what to categorize as a failure anymore! I will say that I’ve had many rejections — from artist residencies and art exhibitions and collaborations I’ve applied to or pitched. But in the process of doing the work required to pursue each of those opportunities, I had to get very clear about what I wanted and why I wanted it. And that information is priceless, because knowing what you actually want (not just what other people want for you, or what you think you should want) is just about the most important piece of information you can have to grow in the directions you want to go.

What does a typical day in your week look like?

It’s pretty fascinating, coming from literally decades of working in corporate America (writing, content development, creative director, etc.) how radically different my days are now than they were then. I’ve been self-employed as an artist since 2021, and it took me about a year to detox from the bad patterns I’d gotten into, which was essentially letting myself be driven by anxiety.

As it turns out, anxiety is not necessary for getting things done, or for doing them well. Now, a typical weekday involves very little if any stress, which I could not possibly have imagined as being possible for so many years!

I love staying up really late, which means I don’t love getting up early 🙂 I’m typically up by 9 or 10. First order of business is breakfast (almost always plain yogurt, frozen blueberries and granola) and coffee (pourover, dark, a splash of cream, thank you very much, haha) while scanning email and Instagram to see what I might need to respond to quickly. Depending on how I’m feeling that day, I might take my dog Stanley (he’s a Pug Chihuahua mix, aka a Chug!) for a walk, or get right to work.

If I have design work to do, I might work on my iPad in our living room. If my priority is email responses or anything related to writing, I head down to my basement studio to work on a bigger screen and turn on music (Cuban, French or African – any music with singing that’s not in English – I get too distracted!) or white noise (current mix which I made myself is Brown Noise/Cars/Chimes/Crickets/Extreme Rain) to power through.

Lunch (one-half of Trader Joe’s Southwest Salad mix with some protein and rice cakes dipped in Chipotle Bitchin’ sauce) comes next, usually at around 1pm. I’ll read a book or watch a show during my lunch break so it really feels like a break.

After that, it’s either back to work or naptime! (Naps with Stanley are absolutely irresistible to me, they are one of my favorite things ever.) And then the afternoon might be spent finishing more work, exploring new ideas in paint or on the internet or in writing, walking Stan, getting in some exercise (Beat Saber on VR! Underdesk bike! Dance workout with Emily Thorne aka emkfit via YouTube! I am trying!) or or just chilling out and reading.

On the nights when everybody (my husband Ben and our two kids Henry, a high school freshman, and Sophie a high school senior) is home, we’ll all have dinner together and chat about our day (aka the kids using words Ben and I don’t understand and then laughing at us because we are old, hahaha). We have a really good time together as a family, which is such a gift.

After dinner, Ben and I will watch something together (Taskmaster, Silent Witness, After Midnight, Inspector Montelbano…who knows!) and then he goes to bed around 10:30. I usually then go back to work on my laptop, or head down to the studio to paint. The hours between 11pm-2am are magical for me in terms of getting into a creative zone. I think it might come from so many years of fitting my art practice into my schedule: that was the time I had available. But even though I have my pick of time slots now, these are still the hours I love the best.

I then (usually begrudgingly but gratefully) head to bed so I can start it all over again the next day 🙂

Oregon Home Magazine Features "Color Cloud: You Never Know"

Emily Grosvenor, editor at Oregon Home Magazine made this month’s issue all about color, and I was lucky enough to get a shoutout in it! Check out the full article “Magic Touch” here on their site.

Design by Natalie Myers, Veneer Designs; photograph by Charlotte Lea

This pic featuring “Color Cloud: You Never Know” is of a project by the fantabulous designer Natalie Myers and photographed by the wonderful Charlotte Lea.

“Jessica Poundstone has long explored making images that evoke color and light, but the Portland artist practically created a new category with her Color Cloud series: dopamine art. “Collectors tell me that the pieces feel calming, energizing, and peaceful,” Poundstone says. The digital works, which she creates with her fingers on a blank iPad canvas, are favorites of interior designers looking to add just the right hit of strong color to a room. “My absolute dream come true is to create a positive, nurturing space that people can experience and count on and grow with,” she says.”

Other pals in this issue include Kristin Van Buskirk of Woonwinkel photographed by Heather Keeling, a beautiful project by Workaday Design and more! Grab a copy when you see it out there, for sure! ✨🙏✨

Jessica Poundstone Artwork in Mean Girls!

My artwork is in the new movie Mean Girls! Regina George’s room has three of my piece on the walls! OMG!!!

Here are some pics of my pics!

1) Here’s Big Feelings 17 on the wall behind Avantika, Renee Rapp, Bebe Woods and Angourie Rice, no big deal. (Hahahahahahaah) If you need some of that Regina George energy in your life, this limited edition piece is still available on my site!

[Photo by Photo by JoJo Whilden for Paramount Pictures & Entertainment Weekly

2) Here’s Color Space 27: Keep Love at the Center behind Regina George’s mom, aka “Cool Mom” Busy Philipps!

3) Klein Blue Sphere: Soft Geometry is here on the wall during a rehearsal behind Busy, Avantika, Angourie and Renee!

Photo by JoJo Whilden for Paramount Pictures

And who should I spy in the background, with her hair BASICALLY TOUCHING MY ARTWORK, it is the one and only TINA FEYYYYYYYY - and. her husband Jeff Richmond is standing next to her, amaze. Below is a cropped picture for evidence, which basically makes it look like I am a stalker, and I am okay with that. This means I am literally one degree (ish) of separation from Tina Fey, and honestly, what more could I ask for???

Thank you so much to set decorator Charlene Wang de Chen, for including my work in this absolutely fetch set! ;)

COLOR/TIME: New Paintings By Jessica Poundstone At A Sometimes Gallery

So excited to have my very first solo show of paintings at A Sometimes Gallery!

COLOR/TIME will be on view January 20-February 24, with an opening party (with purple cocktails, pink wine and a DJ!) on January 20 from 5-8pm.

More details are below. If you’d like to get a catalog of the show, just send me your email address and I’ll get it to you!

From the press release:

A Sometimes Gallery is pleased to announce COLOR/TIME, an exhibition of paintings by Portland artist Jessica Poundstone. This will be Poundstone’s first solo show of paintings, and her second show with the gallery.

In this body of work on canvas, formal geometric structures mix with whimsical, intuitive color palettes, creating physical spaces for contemplation. The pieces encourage multiple meditative viewings, and serve as icons — containers, touchstones, totems — for the meaning, memories and meditations we bring to them. 

From her artist statement: “With apologies in advance for a rhyming list of three...I have found that making and looking at these paintings has helped me slow (shifting to a different experience of time), know (accessing my intuition through form and color choices and relationships) and grow (taking in the meditative, positive vibes that happen when a piece clicks together). I hope collectors will share in some (or all!) of these experiences as they bring the pieces into their spaces.”

Coco Gauff, US Open Champion, Sports a Jessica Poundstone Phone Case!

US Open Champion Coco Gauff made a phone call immediately after her win, and her case is one I designed for Casetify x Design Love Fest - “Color Cloud: A New Thing Is On The Way” Whaaaat?!?!?

And here she is from an earlier Instagram post on her feed with the case - so freaking cool!

Congratulations, Coco, on your incredible win!!!

If you need a case like Coco’s in your life, you can get it right here - or have a look at the other designs in my collection! There are cases for iPhones, Android phones, laptops, iPads and more. You can use code designlovefest15 for 15% off your order - woo hoo! :)

(Big thanks to my amazing friend Julia Newman-Kuljančić for spotting Coco using the case as she made a call after her win and alerting me - I was watching the match but missed this moment!)

Summer Pop-Up At The Yo Store / Fine Art Fruit

Not-as-hot-as-it-was-gonna-be fun in the summertime Saturday 8/12 from 10am-2pm outside The Yo Store and Fine Art Fruit at 935 NW 19th Ave., Portland Oregon. Come say hey!

I will have mini-prints! And some fun li’l originals! And some surprises! And extra exclamation points! Seriously tho come through and meet so many wonderful people and see all kinds of wonderful things 💖💖💖 And if you can’t make it, below are links to of all the folks who will be there so you can get on their websites and their wavelength :)

Thanks to The Yo Store godesses for inviting me - hope to see you there!

9 Fun (and Free!) Ways To Refresh Your Space Using The Art Collection You Already Have

Our emotional connection to the artwork we collect is what makes it such an amazing way to infuse more meaning, joy and beauty into our spaces and in our lives. But over time, it’s easy to “stop seeing” things that we look at all the time - and that includes the pieces in our art collections.

Here are nine ideas for refreshing your space using the art in your collection so you can get more enjoyment from the art you’ve already got!

1. Mix It Up: Move Your Art Around!

I move art around my house regularly. I think of the work as always being in a temporary location. This month it’s in the living room. Next month, maybe it migrates to the living room or a bedroom — or even just to a different shelf in a cabinet. Different surroundings quickly create different ways of thinking about the piece and help keep it fresh.

2. Lean instead of hang!

If a piece of art is currently hanging on the wall, consider setting it on the mantel, on a shelf — even the floor. And vice versa - if a piece has been sitting on a mantel for months, find it a spot on a wall.

In the home of one collector, a chair serves as a home for Color Cloud: A New Thing Is On the Way, at least temporarily. I’m pretty sure that Mocu the cat is going to reclaim alllll of that space eventually, hahaha.

3. Make it Part of an Arrangement

Set flowers and a few of your favorite objects around your piece to change the whole vibe! In the picture on the right, the incredible Ashley Hosmer, styled Color Cloud 6: Leave It Open on her sideboard with some puzzles in the same color family. If a piece is on a wall, consider adding floating shelves next to it, or hanging some other decorative wall objects around it.

4. Spend Some One-On-One Time With It

Spend a few moments minutes just being with the piece - think of it as a visual meditation. Even a tiny amount of time can be enough to have a significant shift in your appreciation for and awareness of artwork. If the piece has been with you for a while, take a moment to remember everywhere it’s lived with you, and where it was in each space.

5. Pair It With Another Piece of Art

The way two or more pieces of artwork “speak” to each other can create a totally new dynamic that lights up both pieces in a new way. They don’t have to “match” — there can be a similar theme, color, or anything else that feels like it might create an interesting pairing. Sometimes it helps to have a friend with a flair for design help with this: we get used to seeing things a certain way and can have a hard time seeing new options.

6. Make A Special Home For It

What could you put behind the piece to make it pop? Create a shape behind it on the wall with paint or a removable vinyl decal or wallpaper and see what happens! In this picture, Erica, a designer in Portland, put a blue vinyl circle on the wall and added a shelf with a lovely arrangement of objects. Note that the blue background makes the orange really pop!

7. Post a Picture of it on Social Media

Let folks gush about it — you’ll quickly remember how much you loved it in the first place if everyone else is going ga ga over it :) In this pic on her Instagram, designer Ashley Hughes has paired Color Cloud: Let’s Stay Warm with a gorgeous lamp, pair of chairs and an incredible rug. Clearly her followers are loving the entire situation here, and so do I!

8. Re-Frame It

Maybe you’re just not feeling the minimalist white frame you have for your piece anymore. What if you painted the frame red? Or had it reframed with a massive gilt museum-style frame? In the pic on the left, artist Jacky Boehm framed her pair of Color Clouds in a slim silver frame, which brings out the silvery loveliness in her tie-dyed sheets.

9. Swap Art with a Friend

It could be temporary - or, if a piece is just really no longer speaking to you — consider a trade! The next love of your life might be that thing you saw at your BFFs house that perhaps she’’d enjoy swapping for.

Rearranging your art collection can not only rekindle your love for the pieces you’ve invested in, it is in and of itself an act of creativity! It will not only refresh your space, it will make you feel all warm and fuzzy and lovely. Have fun with it!

About The Author

Jessica Poundstone is an artist and writer living in Portland, Oregon. She believes that art is part of a self-care practice that changes the way we see, think & feel - and ultimately changes us. Her work has been featured by Louis Vuitton, Architectural Digest, Anthropologie and more. She was named a Top 100 artist by Saatchi Art.

Jessica is into, among other things, personal growth, joy, doing her best, detective novels, improv, and standup comedy. Find her artwork at www.jessicapoundstone.com.

Summer Of Sass House Features Jessica Poundstone Artwork!

Started by comedian Kristen Becker, Summer of Sass is a freaking incredible nonprofit that “transforms lives by relocating LGBTQI 18-20 year olds from oppressive areas in the US to the welcoming community of Provincetown, Massachusetts.”

Last year they were gifted a house, and last month legendary designer Kate Berry & All Modern teamed up to give it the most joyful vibes you can imagine.

I am BEYOND THRILLED to share that four of my pieces (Color Space 66: Tangerine, Color Ideas 23: Thinking About Starting Again, Kinetic Lines 18 and Color Cloud: Let’s Radiate Joy) are now part of this freaking amazing space where so many beautiful, magical and wonderful things are happening.

See before and after pics and in-process vids at All Modern and read the whole article on Domino - words by Gabrielle Korn and photography by Mike Crane. And if you’re able, check out the Summer of Sass website and consider a gift to support their life-changing mission!!! 🌈❤️

jessica Poundstone is Galison’s Artist Of the Month!

Galison’s Artist of the Month for July c’est moi, Jessica Poundstone! The Galison team has kindly published an interview with me including me behind-the-scenes looks at my cozily-cluttered studio :) See the interview below, and shop the Mindfulness Puzzle Set and Mindfulness Notecards featuring pieces from my Color Cloud Collection. Thank you Galison!

Meet Jessica Poundstone, an artist and creative mind from Portland, Oregon. Her Mindfulness Puzzle Set inspires a relaxing headspace with original art and an opportunity to connect with oneself.

Galison’s Artist Of The Month: Jessica Poundstone

 

At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to be an artist?

"I’ve always wanted to be involved with art — looking at it, making it, thinking about it: the whole package. But I never knew anyone personally — other than my high school art teacher - shoutout to Leona Nelson! — who called themselves an artist. It wasn’t until pretty recently that I got more comfortable referring to myself that way, and started owning it for myself... It opens doors — in your life and in your mind — to begin thinking of yourself as an artist sooner rather than later!"

What are some things that give you inspiration?

"For inspiration for new work: buildings, sidewalks, books on art, street fashion, the way the light hits a wall, unexpected color palates I happen to notice (the other day it was a semi-truck’s cab/container color combo that got me excited!), films, certain songs I’ll listen to over and over: I get inspiration from so many places it can be overwhelming!"

What are three things you need in your workspace?

"Other than the basics — my computers, art supplies and good lighting — my workspace has got to have coffee (strong, dark with cream no sugar), water (preferably LaCroix Pamplemousse or Beach Plum) and my playlist which, depending on what I’m trying to get done, is a mix of faves like Talking Heads, Spoon, REM and PJ Harvey, or white noise (rain sounds, of course - I’m originally from and still live in Portland, Oregon!)."

Why is art important in everyday life? 

"My favorite pieces of art give me a little jolt of beauty that says: 'Hey don’t forget: there’s so much mystery, fun, adventure and joy available to you!' That reminder to zoom out and see a bigger picture (haha, no pun intended) is important to me — especially when the routines of everyday life feel stifling. Art is a window we can always crawl through."

Mindfulness Notecards & Mindfulness Puzzle Set featuring my Color Cloud Collection are available at Galison or most places books and gifts are sold!

Louis Vuitton in Kobe Japan Features Jessica Poundstone's "Color Cloud: Tap Into It"

Kobe, Japan’s Louis Vuitton is sporting a custom version of “Color Cloud: Tap Into It”! If you’re ever in the area, go say hi for me :)

We almost always have more resources, strength and energy than we think. It’s remembering to tap into those that can be hard, because it often requires us to admit that we need help. Let this remind us to do that.

Still some available in the original version in its limited edition run: snag one if you’re feeling it!

Domino Magazine Features Jessica Poundstone Art "Color Cloud: Let's Be Totally Free"

Thanks Domino Magazine & All Modern for the kind words about “Color Cloud: Let’s Be Totally Free.”

This piece is about ditching any preconceived notions about what we are “allowed” to do or be, and move towards doing and being exactly what we want. Even if it seems risky. Maybe especially if it seems risky :)

Like all my Color Cloud pieces, it’s made with love by me and my fingers on my iPad, then printed with pigment inks on thick, 100% cotton fine art paper when you order it so there’s no waste! Snag one today if you need these vibes in your life!

Apartment Therapy Features Art By Jessica Poundstone

Thank you Apartment Therapy and writer Sarah M. Vazquez for this article, “Abstract Wall Art Pieces That’ll Make a Big Statement in Any Space” featuring my artwork “Color Cloud: Step Into Joy”!

Text: “How dreamy is this piece? Inspired by color sensation, minimalism, and experiential ‘light and space’ art movements, this piece has a rich aura that’s sure to add some positive energy to your art collection.”

Thanks again Apartment Therapy for the feature! Read the full article here.

Jessica Poundstone Paintings at Fruitsuper in Seattle!

Fruitsuper Design Shop & Gallery in Seattle is an amazing place run by amazing folks, and - lucky me! - I was invited to be part of a group show there called Findings that opens on Thursday, March 2, and will be up through April 6!

Below are the pieces of mine that will be there, from my “Everything Leads to Something” series.

Findings is “an exhibition of small works that “celebrate the beginnings of living with and surrounding oneself with art.” Love it. All of the works in the show will be available for $250 or under. A list of participating artists and links to their work is below - check them out in person or online if you can’t make it to Seattle!

Thanks again Sallyann for the invite - can’t wait to see all the work!

Artists With Work in Findings:

Nishat Akhtar
Nikita Ares
Ceremony
Emily Counts
Sam Dodie
Michael Doyle
Jessica Flores
fruitsuper
Rachel Illingworth
Pat Kim
Nia Musiba
Hernan Paganini
Jessica Poundstone
Sue Rose
Toni Santos
Stevie Shao
Gabriel Stromberg
Brandon Vosika
Amanda Woodcock

Interior Designer Mimi Shin Features Jessica Poundstone's "Glow 5: Rose Gold Strength" in LA Home Design

My artwork “Glow 5: Rose Gold Strength” now hangs in this extraordinarily sophisticated LA dining room designed by Mimi Shin!

Design, Mimi Shin. Styling, Kate Flynn. Photos, Amy Bartlam

Mimi’s whole house design for is SO good the whole project was featured in both Rue Magazine and in Architectural Digest.

Architectural Digest article featuring Mimi Shin interior design project in Los Angeles

Architectural Digest article featuring Mimi Shin’s LA project, which also features an unbelievably inventive waterbed situation! Design, Mimi Shin. Styling, Kate Flynn. Photos, Amy Bartlam

Rue Magazine’s feature of Mimi Shin’s project, including this dining room featuring my artwork “Glow 5: Rose Gold Strength.” Design, Mimi Shin. Styling, Kate Flynn. Photos, Amy Bartlam

By the way, here’s an excerpt from Mimi Shin’s bio (omgeeeee):

“After discovering her love of modern art at Smith College, she began her career in fashion and became an editor at Vogue within just a few years. She traveled extensively to Milan and Paris representing Vogue and then Harper’s Bazaar for a decade. Craving a new discipline to apply her experience and recognizing the cultural capital and creative freedom that Los Angeles had begun to offer, she headed west for her masters degree in architecture at UCLA. Upon graduation, she launched a furniture line critically reviewed by the New York Times, Sunset and ca magazines and subsequent residential and commercial projects have been featured in both Luxe and Los Angeles Magazine.”

What an amazing career / artist / person!!!

Styling for this shoot by Kate Flynn, and photography by Amy Bartlam.

Thank you for bringing my work into this beautiful space, Mimi!

HGTV Magazine Features Jessica Poundstone Art!

HGTV Magazine has featured my art on the cover of their January/February 2023 issue!

You can also read the full article, “Tour a White Kitchen With Splashes of Color” by Jaimie Dalessio Clayton.

So many thank yous to HGTV Magazine for publishing the piece, to Lucy Penfield of Lucy Interiors for designing this knockout space, to Kelly Kegans for her incredible styling, and to Adam Albright Photography for the gorgeous photo!!! This space is absolutely stunning.

Click the images to purchase these pieces for yourself if you need one or more of them in your life - kitchen, office, dining room, bathroom - they’d love the chance to hang out with you wherever ;)