Jessica Campbell poses for a portrait with some of her creations in the studio of the Times-Free Press on Friday afternoon. Campbell is an artist who specializes in paper mache characters.Chattanooga artist Jessica Campbell said her interest in art dates to her childhood.
“My mom is a schoolteacher, so we were always doing little arts-and-crafts projects, but it wasn’t until high school that I realized my potential,” Campbell said.
“In high school, I made Mount Olympus, including the gods and goddesses [of Greek mythology], for extra credit. It was a major endeavor.”
Today, Campbell’s art has evolved into whimsical papier-maché-like characters of animals and people. Among her clientele is Victoria Stilwell, host of Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog.”
After high school, Campbell’s interest in art was set aside when she started college at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage. And though she majored in psychology, she realized her heart was with art.