BIOGRAPHY

Jess Burbridge is a Ceramic Artist based in Boca Raton, Florida and is an Artist in Residence in Studio 13 at the Arts Warehouse in Delray Beach. After completing a BFA in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a MA in Communications from Johns Hopkins University, Burbridge began working in gorilla conservation in east Africa. She served as the Communications Director for Gorilla Doctors and the Field Communications Officer for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International in east Africa. In these roles, she used her skills in photography, journalism, graphic design and web design to work towards the conservation of eastern gorillas.

After becoming a mother to two young children, Burbridge retired from field work in Africa and returned to her love of ceramic art. During the pandemic, she began hand building in porcelain, creating work inspired by her love of nature and the ocean. Her scuba diving adventures inspired her first (and ongoing) collection of handbuilt coral. As time progressed, she also began to explore her love of fantasy and mythology, and has been working on a collection of dragon heads sculpted from porcelain clay over the last two years.

This collection of porcelain dragon sculptures is inspired by my love of fantasy and mythology. The dragon is a symbol of strength, protection and prosperity. These mythical creatures ward off evil spirits and protect the innocent. Each dragon bust was hand-sculpted from cone 6 English porcelain, slowly dried in my studio over the course of several months, bisque fired in the kiln, glazed and glaze fired before being mounted in a pigmented resin base. Each dragon is crafted to capture their strength, untamed beauty and unique personality and narrative. This dragon collection is a tribute to and celebration of magic and the timeless allure of dragons.

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