Jessica Vollrath
Born in 1984 to an African American father and a Mexican mother, Vollrath grew up in a uniquely diverse household with 11 siblings, a Mennonite background, and a homeschool education. She discovered her love of painting at around the age of 8, spending her free time experimenting with various art supplies her mother found at garage sales.
At 15, Vollrath met the late Dr. Marilyn Daniels at an art opening. Upon reviewing Vollrath’s portfolio, Dr. Daniels was astonished by the untrained yet remarkable natural talent evident in her work. She immediately offered to mentor her in art. Thanks to Dr. Daniels’ guidance and encouragement, Vollrath went on to earn her BFA from Howard University in 2011 and her MFA from Texas Woman’s University in 2017.
Vollrath primarily works with oil paint but has also explored a variety of other media, including sculpture, latex, and works on paper. Initially trained in figurative art, she began her career as a commissioned portrait painter. Guided by her love of light, color, and the human figure, Vollrath creates biographical works that explore humankind’s eternal search for connection and immortality. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband and two daughters and serves as an adjunct professor of art at Eastfield College.
Dexter Wimberly is an American curator based in Japan who has organized exhibitions in galleries and institutions around the world including the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City; The Green Family Art Foundation in Dallas, Texas; The Harvey B. Gantt Center in Charlotte, North Carolina; KOKI Arts and STANDING PINE in Tokyo, Japan; BODE in Berlin, Germany; Lehmann Maupin in London, U.K.; SECCI in Milan, Italy; and The Third Line in Dubai, UAE. His exhibitions have been reviewed and featured in publications including The New York Times and Artforum; and have received support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and The Kinkade Family Foundation. In 2023, Wimberly participated in Hauser & Wirth’s International Curatorial Residency Symposium in Somerset, England. Wimberly has been profiled in Elle Decor and Artnet News. Wimberly is a Senior Critic at New York Academy of Art, and the founder and director of the Hayama Artist Residency in Japan.