“A Day in the Life” with Toronto Artist Jessica Gorlicky (JessGo)

“Your life is what you create! Have you ever dreamed about meeting Andy Warhol?! Of course he is not with us anymore, but we are lucky to have our Canadian version of Andy Warhol in a female curly headed rambunctious 5’5 blondie – Jessica Gorlicky, also known as JessGo. Jessica has always been a talented artist and an inspiring person literally making 10 new random friends a day from people in the Tim Horton’s line up to randomly dancing in traffic with strangers! Her life is full of colours, art events, mural paintings, live auctions, and what not. Every year she is participating and performing at around 100 events and donates a number of pieces to support charities locally and internationally. Her art is exhibited in local and international galleries, as well as her clients are coming to her gallery from all across the globe. Her style is unique and personal as she puts her emotions and heart into the production of every piece making it original for each customer. She is open to any challenge and new idea and is always on the run with a new creative adventure. It has been more than 10 years since Jessica started her artistic journey. A lot is coming in her future, but Jessica will always be a dynamic, honest and talented artist.”

By Elizaveta Zhurkovskaya, a friend

This is me at my midtown home. I love being surrounded by my work, it brings inspiration and consistent joy to be surrounded by colour as colour is life essentially. jessgo
This is me at my midtown home. I love being surrounded by my work, it brings inspiration and consistent joy to be surrounded by colour as colour is life essentially.
I have an arcade game in my home which is important because nostalgia brings kid like moments - especially if you never want to really be an adult when you come home! Jessica Gorlicky
I have an arcade game in my home which is important because nostalgia brings kid like moments – especially if you never want to really be an adult when you come home!
This is me in my happy place: painting in my gallery. I feel free, happy and like a kid having a funnel cake with Nutella on top.
This is me in my happy place: painting in my gallery. I feel free, happy and like a kid having a funnel cake with Nutella on top.
I decided to pursue painting as my lifelong dream and goal after I sold my first painting out of my bedroom in my parent’s house when I was 17.
I decided to pursue painting as my lifelong dream and goal after I sold my first painting out of my bedroom in my parent’s house when I was 17.

What hood do you live in?

I live in mid town Toronto.

What do you do?

I’m a full time artist, passionately painting my way through the country between shows and collections and live performance art. My medium is mainly acrylic on canvas and my passion is life in total and zoning in on pop culture while flirting with colour on the regular.

What are you working on?

Currently I’m working on organizing an opening for my brand new gallery and studio in Toronto’s Design District. For the past 6 months I’ve built, curated and constructed this excellent hidden 2300 sq/ft kick ass space that I’m really looking forward to sharing with Toronto! I’m hosting a public open house happening on Saturday May 14th from noon – 5:00 pm, you can come check out my space and watch me as I live paint in the middle of my gallery in the afternoon!

Where can we find your work?

You can see more information and a lot of my work on my website www.jessgo.com and in my new gallery, Jessica Gorlicky Designs in the Design District.

One of the pieces I have in my new gallery is this giant Gumby installation.
One of the pieces I have in my new gallery is this giant Gumby installation.
This is a project I was working on here on the floor of my gallery, I can often be found with a sheet thrown down painting right in the middle of the gallery. Painting this project here was focused, exciting, and very real.
This is a project I was working on here on the floor of my gallery, I can often be found with a sheet thrown down painting right in the middle of the gallery. Painting this project here was focused, exciting, and very real.
Here are some works from past exhibits that have now been curated into my new gallery, open to the public on Saturday May 14th.
Here are some works from past exhibits that have now been curated into my new gallery, open to the public on Saturday May 14th.
This is me painting at one of my many live performances. I can describe painting in front of an audience as pure adrenaline and like I'm jumping off a building on fire.
This is me painting at one of my many live performances. I can describe painting in front of an audience as pure adrenaline and like I’m jumping off a building on fire.

 

 

 

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Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography