Jess Kingswell

Jess Kingswell is a Seattle-raised, Brooklyn Illustrator.

Their work draws inspiration from the old-growth rainforests and mountains of the Pacific Northwest where they grew up and the stories that come out of them. Life growing up in the outdoors grew a curiosity for the little nooks and crannies underneath rock sand between roots and what creatures could be hiding in them. Cryptids, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and mythology quickly filled these gaps and became another central part of their work. Their aesthetic is usually inspired by the imagery accompanying these stories, Illuminated manuscripts, folk art, and craft movements like quilting, weaving, and embroidery


Learn more about Jess's work in ART MAKER Issue 2: Contemporary Illustration Around the World

Jess Kingswell, A History of the Tightly Strung 5-6, 2025, digital illustration for screenprint, 12in x 18in.
Artist Statement provided by Jess Kingswell.