Jaymee Harvey Willms Artist

From March 29th-April 11th 2020, I was scheduled and anticipating a residency with the Vermont Studio Center. Being a full-time worker in an essential non-profit, I was thrilled to have the time and space to create without other obligations during these two weeks. As COVID-19 changed the world seemingly overnight, this opportunity became much more distant.  In Wisconsin, Safer At Home was scheduled until April 30th, it has now been extended to May 26th. My office moved home as well as my studio. In a home that is being renovated out of foreclosure, this has been a lot to ask from this 100 year old construction. I moved my paints and supplies into the attic. The third floor of our home has space, but no heat or light other than windows. The bulk of my work is being done from this space, however our dining room table has been asked to now become an office, conference center, studio, folding table, as well as a place to eat too.  I decided to make March 29th-April 11th, wh...

Per the norm, this post is late and inconsistent. However, this time it is for good reason. As some of my friends and family know, I have gone to Haiti a few times working with an excellent organization called Healing Haiti. In an effort to make sure I am not relegating my work in Haiti to something akin to "poverty porn" I felt I needed some distance from my time in Haiti to make sure my own motives are right when sharing my time in Haiti with you. Healing Haiti is a christian organization, most organizations in Haiti are. I feel like it important to let you know that I have not gone to Haiti as an evangelist, my own motives were focused on art being a resource to people who are in desperate need of confidence, dignity and love. Healing Haiti is an incredible organization that is focused on the heart or Haiti- unemployment. 70% of the population in Haiti is unemployed, with unemployment come poverty, the decay of familial relationships, poor healthcare and nutrition and ...

Psychologists and Behavioral analysts talk about behavior patterns all of the time. Often it relates to the patterns of children and (if you're like me and love true crime) criminals. The way we move through life is learned and created second by second. This absolutely fascinates me. I think about my own human movements and whether or not we have learned how to "stir pots" our own way or if we simply echo the pot stirring techniques of our mothers and fathers. Some folks seem to have a muscle memory for changing diapers while others wrestle a toddler like an alligator. When I find myself repeating phrases I heard as a child, or see myself walking in the reflection of glass I wonder if certain things are truly my choice. Am I really my own person? I think about patterned behavior as it relates to femininity and masculinity and the complication of both of those things by communities. Being from the Midwest- people behave in very specific ways, the dress in certain ways ...

Once again, my posting is on a 2 month delay... In the past year I have been a part of an Artist Book Club in Milwaukee. This Club was put together by Kate Schaffer- a badass artist who is literally the busiest human I know. Kate put together this group and we have read some great books and eaten some great food in the last year. One of the books was What Would Lynne Tillman Do? Besides the first chapters on Andy Warhol driving me nuts- this book dug into some serious problems that artists face today. Tillman addressed the artists contemporary plight in domesticity, identity, merit, and research in every chapter. This novel uses interviews and stories from Tillmans own life, and blurrs the line between memory and reality. As a group, Melissa Dorn, Peter Beck, Lois Bielefeld, Kate Schaffer and myself put together an exhibition at Frank Juarez Gallery that investigated our research into this book and author. This exhibition, What Would We Do With Lynne Tillman?, dug into new domestic...

A little more than two months ago, I was packing up my things and heading to the northern part of France to Chateau Orquevaux. Painting there was magic, if you follow my social media pages you probably saw images of a place that belongs in a Disney movie. It wasn't that far off. While there I had a new mantra, one that had I have quite literally never used before. Slow Down. I repeated it to myself constantly, and it worked. During the two weeks in France, I rediscovered painting, rediscovered color, as well as reinvestigated my own reason for making art. I don't have any answers to anything really, but I did slow down. I did create. I am proud of what I have made. Take a look and let me know what you think, it feels good to share it. Each painting is on Arches watercolor paper and is 24x36 inches. I used acrylic paint, ink, spray paint and oil sticks in a variety of ways to build up layers, patterns and color.

I'm here! I made it, and now all I need to do is try not to get lost or murdered. One of the afore mentioned being inevitable in a foreign land. 8 months ago, I was sitting at my desk at work trying to refocus my attention on a budget when the very rare "Congratulations!" email popped up. (Those of you that are artists know just how rare this is...) My throat hitched and I realized this residency I had applied for in France- FRANCE- had accepted my application. The breathlessness of that moment is something I will not easily forget. Would I be able to afford it? What would my husband think? What made them say yes? A million questions all in an instant. Fast forward those 8 months and a few flights later, I am here, at Chateau Orquevaux in Orquevaux, France. Everywhere you look is a picture, the only sounds are birds and rushing water and the Chateau overlooks a reservoir of the cleanest water imaginable with a valley behind it. It couldn't be more of a fairytal...