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Artist Statement

I am a woodworker, turner, and artist driven by a deep respect for imperfection and a desire to challenge tradition. I have often been the one who stood out, raw, scarred, messy, and sometimes overlooked. These experiences shaped my perspective, teaching me to see beauty and value in the unconventional. My work spans multiple forms but centers around salvaged and redeemed materials, with a focus on the striking and untamed beauty of burl wood. Each creation emerges from letting go and allowing the material to lead, resulting in pieces that defy conventional rules and aesthetic norms. 

 

My designs often appear uncustomary, even off-putting at first glance. Yet, they hold an intrinsic beauty rooted in thoughtful intention and sentiment. By breaking away from established standards like the golden ratio, catenary curves, and formal notions of symmetry, I invite viewers to take a second look, to uncover surprising layers of meaning and appreciate that nothing I create should be taken at face value. Every piece is a collaboration between myself and the material, striving to make the unexpected work beautifully. 

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EDUCATION:  

 

Haywood Community College, Clyde, NC, Associate of Applied Science,   
Professional Crafts – Wood, August 2023- May 2025

 

EXPERIENCE:  

 

WOODWORKER/OWNER  
Beloved Designs Woodworking, Sylva, NC, 2021- Present  

OFFICE MANAGER  
Jackson County Arts Council, Sylva, NC, 2023 - Present  

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ACHIEVEMENTS:  

 

RHON PARKER AND LINDA A. REISER SCHOLARSHIP

Penland School of Craft, Spring 2026

 

INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKING FAIR DESIGN EMPHASIS FINALIST  
IWF Student Furniture Design Competition, 2024  

 

KAREN REDFERN WOODTURNING SCHOLARSHIP  
John C Campbell Folk School, Spring 2023  

 

MADE IN NC AWARDS FINALIST  
Our State Magazine, 2022  

 

EXHIBITIONS/SHOWS:  

 

Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival – The Village Green, Cashiers, NC, October 2024, 2025  

 

Greening Up the Mountains – Downtown Sylva, NC April 2024  

 

Jackson County Arts Council Annual Members Show– Rotunda Gallery, Jackson County Public 

Library, Sylva, NC, December/January 2023/2024, 2025/2026  

 

Mountain Heritage Day – Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC September 2023  

 

The Big Crafty – Harrah's Cherokee Center, Asheville, NC July 2023

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BIO

Jessa is a woodworker, turner, and artist behind Beloved Designs Woodworking. Her work centers on salvaged and redeemed materials, with a particular love for the wild beauty of burl wood. She's drawn to imperfection, knots, scars, and grain patterns that tell stories, && she lets the material lead, allowing each piece to take shape through the process rather than strict design. For her, creating is a spiritual practice, an act of listening, honoring, and collaborating with the material. Her style blends clean lines with an instinctive resistance to traditional constraints, often creating forms that feel both familiar and unconventional. Whether she's turning bowls or shaping furniture, Jessa is most at home in the shop, covered in shavings and following wherever the wood leads.

ABOUT ME

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