Jessica Zoob wants you to connect with her art at her Hong Kong studio

Children tend to glimpse little fairies, men start to cry, some see mountains, valleys, Asian temples, the sweep of a dragon, rivers and rainfall. Others perceive their own memories, a vision of themselves, a portal into their soul.

The work of London-born contemporary artist Jessica Zoob summons multiple reactions and emotions in viewers of her evocative paintings, created over a number of years, often with around 40 layers of oil paint. On the same canvas have been multiple paintings often destroyed or created anew, as the final work cuts through the layers to bring out Zoob’s stories as well as our own, allowing us to be a part of the creative process.

Zoob is not intentionally figurative, but she’s keen to see what we see. Dreamscapes, yes, but also some paintings with drama and undertones less comfortable to view. Some artworks are a considerable two metres by 2.5 metres and up. Most span walls or are split into triptychs, which is why Zoob needed to find a studio with sufficient workspace.

“I think it was within maybe 36 hours of seeing the space we had the keys,” says Zoob, as she walks across the grass. “We covered the beautiful stone floor with timber so that I can make a mess without ruining it. There’s this beautiful light that comes in and when you look out of the windows you’re just seeing trees, you can just hear birdsong. I look up at the mountain; it’s just a piece of paradise.”