Ink on Paper Source X Jessica Frasz

"I went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for illustration, and after school I started a career in textiles creating surface patterns and illustration for children's clothing. After 20 years in fashion, I wanted to create my own brand. I was always drawn to creating cards and stationery. I started with art prints, and the stationery line slowly grew and grew!”

“Growing up along the Jersey shore I've always been inspired by the ocean. My family and I also love to be in nature hiking and exploring lakes. All my artwork is inspired by these trips. I fill my sketchbooks with botanicals, and scenery I see along the way.” For her Ink on Paper Source collection, she said “I was inspired by my own garden for the floral collection. I have a cut and come again garden right out my kitchen window which helped inspire me. The ocean collection was inspired by a recent trip I had taken to the Carolinas. There were a few days when a storm was about to roll in at the end of warm beach day, and the ocean was getting rough. The darker sky against the waves always makes for a great painting.”

“I work mostly in watercolor, and love working in oil for my large-scale landscapes. The blending of the paint is calming, and I can grasp the sense of movement with blurry lines and no sharp edges. I love creating my whimsical and loose florals with watercolor. I love the looseness of watercolor and the way the paint mixing can create great textures within shapes. This medium is easy to use on the go while traveling. It helps me capture fast scenes or details in a small sketchbook with a few strokes. Overall, I love creating a more impressionistic style with soft edges that gives the picture a sense of movement.” 

“My style is more impressionistic with a splash of whimsy. Being an illustrator at heart I always like to weave a little story into every design. For example, I create little characters on an adventure, or when I paint an ocean scene, I imagine it being seen through the eyes of sailor on a ship out to sea.” 

When it comes to her creative process she shared, “I keep sketchbooks all year and when designing a new collection for each season I first start with a mood board or inspiration page. I pull things I'm drawn to for color and imagery, then use elements from my sketchbook to start creating little patterns and designs that all fit within an overall theme.” Her advice to other creatives is, “Always sketch and draw every chance you get even when you get busy with the other aspects of your business. Stay true to the part you love. I also love to try and celebrate the small wins along the journey. I'm most proud of my work ethic, I've always wanted to create a little world of my own designs and ideas and I'm proud that I took the chance and went after my dream of owning and creating my own brand.” 

“I'm very honored to be displayed along other brands that I look up to. Paper Source is an amazing company,and I'm thrilled to be selected to showcase my work on their platform.” To explore Jessica Frasz’s custom collection with Ink on Paper Source click here, follow her on social, and check out her website.