About Me

                  

Jessica Butner is a mixed media artist from Western North Carolina. She graduated from the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts at Western Carolina University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Painting and Sculpture. Butner explores the relationship between two- and three-dimensional techniques to build layered compositions. Deeply autobiographical, her pieces depict figurative scenes and memories through varied materials and textures, transforming personal experience into visual narratives. Her work examines identity and the stigmatization of mental health disorders, bringing to life the liminal space we often occupy between life and death. Drawing inspiration from her Appalachian upbringing, Butner balances the organic and the artificial, merging natural textures with found materials. Through vivid color, texture, and emotion, she reflects both innocence and decay. Based in Waynesville, NC, she operates her studio and gallery, Artistic Verve, where she continues to expand her practice and foster creativity within her community.