Weathering

A collection of Columbus cityscapes

by Jessica Wojtasek

Dates: Oct. 3 - Nov. 5, 2026
Reception: Friday October 9, 5-7pm
Location: Studios on High Gallery

Weathering explores the quiet relationship between weather and time—how rain transforms a city's surface and how experience reshapes the individual moving through it. While these pieces start in familiar Central Ohio spots, they aren't meant to be literal maps or landmarks. Instead, they focus on light, color, reflection and mood.

Without telling a rigid story, the paintings use light and layout to set a specific feeling—whether that's nostalgia, tension, quiet, or energy. You're invited to bring your own experiences to the work and find your own meaning in it.

The foundation of this collection

A lot of the reference photos for this show were taken on drive-homes after evening figure drawing sessions. Getting back into drawing from life has had a big impact on how I work. It requires a different level of focus—less about the end product and more about the act itself. It’s not a commodity; it’s about practicing just to practice and making space for that routine. You won't see those drawings in this collection—they’re just for me. But what you will see is what I saw driving home after a couple hours of focus during those sessions.

That practice eventually led into plein air painting this past summer. The extreme focus required, balanced with the playfulness of having only an hour or two to produce a sketch has had a great impact on my work and curiosity as a painter. A sketchbook of these quick field studies will be on display next to the main paintings.

Below is a preview of what I plan to share this October, but please come see these pieces in person. So much is lost in translation when you photograph a painting—and even more when you put that same photo on a screen. I'd love to see you all at the reception on Friday, October 9th from 5–7pm.

Right after this I'll be heading to Menorca, Spain for Quarantine—a seven-day intensive art experiment affectionately dubbed "Purgatory for Artists." I’m excited to see and share how this impacts my work moving forward. Huge thanks to the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) for helping fund a portion of this experience.