JESS COCHRANE

We spent the day with the talented and gorgeous Jess Cochrane. Jess is an Australian contemporary Artist who is now based in London. She creates her artworks by taking photographic images and manipulating them with paint, collage and other mediums to create an image that is unique and striking. Jess showed us around her new studio based in Peckham and we picked her brain about London life and it's art scene.

How are you settling in to London life?

Settling into any new home is always a process, but i am lucky it has been relatively smooth for me.

How are you finding the art scene in London different to Australia?

Mainly, it is just much larger and more diverse. There is such great access to many different institutions, museums, education and all other variants of exhibition spaces here. For me personally, I find that there is more room to grow and challenge my practice and myself.

Does your art influence your fashion and style, or vice versa?

My work is always in some way, a reflection of myself. I find different cities and the culture within them influence the work but that is because i am painting the character of a subject living within that culture. I do however notice that there are differences between the ways people view themselves and make themselves up between different cities and i think i reflect that softly from time to time. An example of this would be that i painted a lot of nudes in Australia as there is more of an influence from surf culture, so our awareness is drawn more to what we look like in a bikini. We are generally more naked in Australia. Whereas i find in London that theres an importance placed on dressing and due to the climate and the history of fashion in London.

What are a few of your favourite London art galleries ATM?

Tate Modern is an all-time favourite of mine. White Cube is amazing. Amine Rech, Hannah Barry and Bold Tendencies.

What keeps you motivated and inspired?

Friends, my portrait subjects, dogs.

How (if at all) has London changed your style and fashion?

I’d argue that i care less about dressing in a feminine way. I play more with layers and styling here because the weather allows it. I also find that i really enjoy wearing colour more these days.