Originally from Lewes in East Sussex, I have been passionate about art for as long as I can remember. At the tender age of 12, I had the immense privilege of exhibiting an oil painting alongside Duncan Grant – a celebrated member of The Bloomsbury Group. This wonderful experience encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. Several years later – after completing an A-Level in Art at age 15 – I began studying Creative Embroidery at Brighton Technical College (a course which, at that time, existed under the auspices of Goldsmiths, University of London). It was during this period that I became enamoured with Oriental, Egyptian and Greek Artwork and Mythology, and began exploring these themes in my painting and embroidery.
Martin Kidman Knitwear (Brighton Museum). Embroidery by Jessica Coote.
Shortly after the birth of my eldest daughter, my family and I left the UK in search of a better life in Provence in the south of France. We settled in the small rural village of Rustrel – a village surrounded by breathtaking countryside and bathed in beautiful light. Inspired by this extraordinary landscape, I began using my embroidery to capture some of its beauty. Following a number of exhibitions in France, I began receiving regular creative embroidery and textile art commissions.
After many years living in Provence, I returned to East Sussex and made a new home in the vibrant, colourful and cosmopolitan town of Brighton (now the city of Brighton and Hove). Between 1997 and 2002, I worked for the Brighton-based fashion designer, Martin Kidman. The multi-coloured outfit shown in the photograph to the right is from Martin Kidman’s Autumn/Winter 2001/2 Collection, and is on permanent display in the Brighton Museum. It is one of many outfits that I had the pleasure of working on for Martin (from time to time, I still enjoy working on bespoke outfits and bags for fashion designers).
Returning to Sussex allowed me to rediscover the richness and beauty of the South Downs. Since childhood, I have been inspired by the changing moods of South Downs and fascinated by the diverse range of flora and fauna which thrive here, including rare birds, snakes and lizards, butterflies and grasshoppers, and many species of fragile native plants. To my delight, Hilary Benn (then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) announced on the 12th of November 2009 that the South Downs had received National Park status, and confirmed its boundary. The South Downs National Park officially came into being on the 31st of March 2010. My project, Textile Landscapes of The South Downs National Park, is a celebration of this important event. In late 2013, I was thrilled to have this project exhibited at The Sunbury Embroidery Gallery in Sunbury-on-Thames, West London, as part of a large solo exhibition.
In addition to embroidery and textile art, I also enjoy watercolour painting, with my main subject being the city of Brighton and Hove and its beautiful parks and beaches.
I hope you enjoy your visit to my website. If you have any questions about my work, please get in touch.