DATE: Thursday, November 6, 1997            TAG: 9711050711

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   81 lines

CHOWAN COLLEGE STUDENT SEWS UP FIRST PLACE AWARD JESSICA LEE BRITT'S WORK IS ABOUT WOMEN'S DESIRE AND RESPONSIBILITY.

The lady across the way is sewing a shirt and some baby clothes; Jessica Lee Britt is sewing a work of art.

The lady across the way is watching the tube; Jessica Lee is concentrating on her creation.

The lady across the way thinks of sewing as a household chore that just has to be done; Jessica Lee sees sewing as an enterprise involving self-expression.

``Traditionally,'' she said, ``sewing is a woman's job, but it's one of the few women's tasks considered noble.''

Jessica's tasks are many - she is a sculptress, a printmaker, painter, she carves, she draws, she is into photography, and metal work.

``Sewing has been my favorite,'' she said. ``It's the most important element of my work.''

Her work is on display at the Suffolk Museum where she won first place in the annual Juried Art Exhibition, judged by Gil Leebrick, director of the Wellington B. Gray Gallery at East Carolina University in Greenville.

Of the 193 works submitted, he selected only 61 for exhibition, including two by Jessica.

A 21-year-old Chowan College sophomore, she was a second place winner in May during the school's Juried Art Exhibition and, earlier, a second place winner in the Student Art Show at Suffolk Museum while she was in high school.

Her top spot this year means she will have a one-person art show next year.

That should be something to behold.

Putting it mildly, Jessica is way off the beaten track - a good example being her winning piece, ``So Woman Created Herself.''

She created a white banner on which sits a piece of wood carved from a solid block of poplar. Inside is a ball of tissue wrapped in a wire. A blueprint can be seen above - either and/or a dress pattern, or a plan of creation.

``The exhibit represents a woman and the reproductive system, but,'' Jessica points out, ``anyone can interpret it as they wish.''

If your mood of interpretation is still active take a look at ``Give and Take: Night'' and the accompanying, ``Give and Take: Day,'' fabrics with photo transfers.

Daytime shows a face - Jessica's - each expression subtly different on each panel. Night time shows legs and torsos - Jessica's - posing at times with chunks of hair which she says ``are the most personal objects you can have of yourself. You don't want your hair to fall into wrong hands.''

Indeed.

``Day - is like the face you show everyone,'' Jessica said. ``Night is for people on a more personal level.''

The artist makes the following statement about her works at the Suffolk Museum: ``They are both about women's desire and responsibility to make new places for themselves in society. In our society, women are valued only for their bodies, and only in roles which have been defined by men. In my art, I explore the possibilities for women to define themselves.''

The movement lives.

Jessica lives in Sunbury with her parents, Ann and Henry Britt. Her dad works at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. His artist-philosopher daughter studies studio art at Chowan College where she works in the library.

``Eventually, I want to go to grad school for a masters of Fine Arts. I want a bachelors in Studio Art with a concentration on sculpture,'' Jessica said. ``Then, I want to teach on the college level - and hit all the galleries I can.''

It all began when she was 3. ``I still have a drawing she made then,'' said her mom, a seamstress, who taught her the art of sewing, not realizing that it would literally be art.

``Jessica has always been a deep thinker,'' her mother said.

``I don't do anything for the fun of it. Everything I do has a statement. I feel the purpose of my art is to communicate,'' Jessica said. ``Every piece I have has a specific meaning. I use underlying themes in all my work.

``I use a lot of religious imagery - not specifically any one religion. It's important to accept all religions,'' she said. ``There is a purpose for pretty pictures, but my purpose is communication, to help people be unafraid of learning something new.

``People today are not used to doing that.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER

Jessica Lee Britt, with her winning work ``Day,'' will have a

one-person show next year at the Suffolk Museum.

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