Seeing and Knowing New Perspectives in Furniture Exhibition Catalogue

Jess Humpston
ARTIST STATEMENT
Working predominantly in timber, my work
balances traditional woodworking with
architectural character, contrasting clean lines
with the tactility of the hand-made. A
background in both fashion and interior design
has helped tune my understanding of the space a
piece of furniture inhabits and the intimate
physical interaction between user and object. At
both macro and micro scale, connection between
user and furniture is always considered with the
aim to elevate everyday functional requirements
with an element of the unexpected. My work is
minimal, yet detail focussed and my practice is
dedicated to material exploration within highly
rational and brief-driven parameters.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
AJess Humpston is an emerging designer-maker
based in Naarm/Melbourne working
predominantly in timber. A recent graduate of
the Sturt School for Wood, Jess also holds an
Honours degree in Interior Architecture at
Curtin University and an Advanced Diploma in
Fashion and Textiles from the WA Institute of
Fashion and Textiles. Jess is currently an artist in
residence at the Victorian Woodworkers
Association where she tutors part time whilst
balancing a career in Interior Design. A finalist in
last year's Clarence Art Prize, Jess has been
involved in exhibitions including Design Fringe
and Craft Victoria where she was a participating
designer in The Chair exhibition. Jess has
contributed to the Australian Wood Review as a
judge and writer in addition to winning AWR
Maker of the Year in 2022.