“Isabella” by Jessica Mongeon, 2025, acrylic on canvas, 40×30.
ABOUT THE PIECE
“I collect and grow rare plants, and I have several varieties of staghorn ferns in my collection, which inspired this painting. ‘Isabella’ is a creative depiction of the Platycerium Superbum, a species of staghorn fern native to Australia. I chose to title the painting ‘Isabella’ because it is a popular baby name in Australia, and it also refers to the fern’s bell shape, a play on the phrase, ‘It’s a bell.’”
ARTIST BIO
Jessica Mongeon is a visual artist whose acrylic paintings investigate systems of nature and human biology. She grew up in Rolette, North Dakota, and currently lives in Russellville, Arkansas, with her spouse and two children. She earned an MFA in painting from Montana State University and a BFA from the University of North Dakota. Mongeon has shown her artwork nationally and internationally including a recent solo exhibition, “Vital Signs,” at the Baum Gallery in Conway, group exhibitions in New York and an exhibition in Shanghai. She works as an associate professor of art at Arkansas Tech University.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“My paintings invite viewers to encounter nature through the lens of my experience and imagination. I am fascinated by the visual similarities found in the natural world, including the human body. For example, a branching fractal pattern can be found in human veins, neurons, tree branches, river deltas and lichen. My work demonstrates visually how humans and nature are interconnected.
“Recently I began a series featuring staghorn ferns on vertical canvases. Staghorn ferns interest me because of the symbiotic relationship between ferns and trees. They attach to trees for support, but do not harm them. That kind of relationship between different species is what I think we as humans should aspire to. Some staghorn fern species are endangered, and by painting them I am bringing awareness to their unique qualities and highlighting why they should be protected.”