Cincinnati native Jessica Held is an abstract painter, photographer, teaching artist, small business owner, and festival coordinator based in Athens, Ohio. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Photography from Ohio University. Jessica has exhibited nationally and internationally, including her debut exhibition in Prague, Czech Republic, during a study abroad program. She continues to create, exhibit, and publish her paintings, photographs, and collaborative works. Recently, her artwork has been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout Ohio, Indiana, and New York.
As a teaching artist, Jessica develops and leads visual arts, photography, art appreciation, and interdisciplinary arts programs for learners of all ages in schools, libraries, museums, art centers, and community organizations. She currently teaches K–12 after-school art enrichment programs through Ohio University’s Kids on Campus program in Corning, Guysville, Reedsville, and Nelsonville, and leads youth art camps and classes at The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio.

In 2025–2026, Jessica completed numerous artist residencies and community arts projects throughout Ohio. She returned as the teaching artist for Art Possible Ohio’s Adaptation, Integration, and the Arts Residency Program at Bundy Elementary School in Wellston, Ohio, where second-grade students participated in both a school-wide art exhibition and a public library exhibition, including a field trip to view their artwork on display.

Through partnerships with Athens County Public Libraries, Jessica developed and taught Creative Aging Ohio: Building Bridges to Sustainable Communities programs for adults ages 55 and older at the Nelsonville and Coolville Public Libraries. These classes were supported through an Ohio Arts Council ArtsRISE grant and focused on creative engagement, lifelong learning, and community connection through the visual arts.
In partnership with Sage Teaching: Roots in Recovery and supported by an Ohio Arts Council Special Organization Grant, Jessica launched Art as Wellness workshops in Pomeroy, Ohio, providing creative opportunities for women in recovery through accessible, process-based art experiences.

Jessica participates in professional development opportunities that strengthen her teaching practice. In 2026, she received the Athens Art Guild Continuing Education Grant to attend the National Art Education Association Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

In addition to her teaching and studio practice, Jessica owns Flux and Function LLC, where she creates functional art featuring her original photography and paintings. Her work is available online and in shops throughout Ohio.

Jessica also serves as Community Marketplace Coordinator for the annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival. In 2024, she collaborated with Athens’ Poet Laureate to publish a pawpaw-inspired visual art and poetry anthology.

Jessica believes that art is a powerful tool for creativity, connection, and lifelong learning. Her teaching practice emphasizes hands-on exploration, experimentation, and accessibility, encouraging participants to build confidence while developing their own creative voices. Whether working with children, teens, older adults, or community groups, she strives to create welcoming environments where participants can discover new skills, share experiences, and build meaningful connections through the arts.

 

RECENT PROJECTS: “Repousse Inspired Box”, Ohio University’s ‘Kids on Campus’ program at Millcreek Elementary School (Corning, OH), K-6 graded, after school art enrichment 30-minute classes once a week for two semesters: Students learned about the French technique of ‘repousse’ (a relief technique used in metalwork), looked at repousse art, and created a repousse inspired box in three sequential classes.

“Let’s Celebrate the 2nd graders Art Show”, Art Possible Ohio’s ‘Adaptation, Integration and the Arts’ program at Bundy Elementary (Wellston, Ohio), 2nd grade, 10-week residency, once a week for 45 minute classes: Students created self portrait drawings and cupcake sculptures for their school’s first art show.

“Suminagashi Landscapes”, Spring Workshop’s visual arts class at EN-RICH-MENT of Stark County (Canton, Ohio), elementary age participants, two hour class: Students learned the Japanese marbling technique known as “suminagashi’, looked at suminagashi art, and made a suminagashi print to use for a collage landscape.

Availability

Upon Request

 

Images courtesy of the teaching artist: