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The Natural Order of Things – Jess Kneebone’s Work as an Art Director and Stylist
In her work as an art director and stylist, Jess Kneebone tunes in to the wonder of the everyday. Much like the circuitous path that led to her chosen vocation, she draws on varied sources of inspiration to create scenes and spaces that are tactile and sentimental, quiet and composed slices of life.
Born in Auckland and raised and based in Melbourne, creativity has always been a part of Jess’s world. “Apparently I didn’t sleep much as a kid,” she recalls, “always busy with a drawing or a story. My parents said I had an active imagination, and Mum made an effort to nurture that. I guess I was quite tactile, and I remember loving getting my hands into baking dough or dirt in the garden.” This fascination extended to a love of and immersion in the natural world, which has in turn influenced Jess’s creative sensibilities years later.
“We grew up with a wild, unkempt backyard and, in some ways, it was like our living room,” she explains. “[Now], I find myself looking for natural signs of life in my projects – an organic shape, a raw texture, or an arrangement of things that feel paused in time rather than constructed for an image.” She is also ever-inspired by her everyday sensory experience of the world. Whether “lyrics in a song, flavours in a new dish, the warmth of a hug or the way a sunset traces the leaves of a tree, these things inspire and influence me; they make me feel connected to the world.”
As is so often the case, Jess’s way into art direction and styling was far from linear. After high school, she studied journalism, drawn in by a determination to report the truth and make a positive difference in the world. Whilst her path eventually diverged, Jess reflects that her “curiosity in other people’s stories and life experience hasn’t really faded.” After working in marketing for some time, she studied communication design. “I really enjoyed it and was lucky to be introduced to Michaela Webb from Studio Round, where I freelanced for a while and learned about art direction and photography production,” she says. “From there, I started assisting photographers and art directors.”
It was after a shoot with architecture photographer Rory Gardiner that Jess landed her first solo styling gig. The pair worked on several projects together that were published, and from there, the enquiries started coming in. Jess reflects that establishing her own practice happened organically. “It’s not like I sat down, wrote a plan and followed it through. I immersed myself in things that I felt drawn to, people, places, books, films, art. It sounds lofty, but I have a kind of faith in the natural order of things. It’ll [soon] be four years since my first solo gig, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Whilst her practice and workload have grown naturally, Jess’s day-today – and indeed the building of her business – is no walk in the park. With projects ranging from photographic art direction for interiors, brands and designers to furniture, art and object curation, Jess has a hefty workload.
Though intentionally placed by the deft hand of the stylist, these authentic touches lend Jess’s work its characteristic emotive quality – evocations of the simple things that give zest to life.
“On shoot days, I’m up early and out the door. Most of the heavy lifting happens the day before so that we can concentrate on the composition of the photos,” she explains. “Shoot days are intensive, long and incredibly rewarding. Depending on the project, we can be shooting from dawn until dusk but when we wrap, my cup is full.” Despite the physical demands and collaborative chaos of this work, Jess remains committed to her vision. She explains that whilst she always has “favourite [photographic] frames, I aim to achieve a cohesive aesthetic across the day. The art director in me is often thinking about the photos as a series rather than individual captures.”
Research is a big part of Jess’s initial process, as is establishing an in-person connection with the people or spaces she is working with. “I guess I need to ‘feel’ what a space or person or product is like to get a sense of how I can work it,” she says. “I always try to take note of first thoughts. There’s something quite beautiful and unspoiled about those instinctual responses. For example, when I visit a space for the first time, I may note a particular material or texture that would complement what’s there.” This intuitive way of responding to her brief is key to how Jess works, and, unlike a formulaic approach, it prompts genuinely creative responses. “I don’t warm to fitting furniture like puzzle pieces into a room. I like to create an atmosphere, a ‘vibe’ as they say.” From this initial phase of information gathering and intense presence, Jess slows things down to see what surfaces. “Pausing at this point is very important for my process,” she explains. “I find the most original thoughts arrive unannounced, so I endeavour to create space for them.” This originality is often intrinsically linked with human emotion. Whilst Jess’s work is most often experienced through photographs, her approach is wholeheartedly experiential. “I aim to think about composition in a more sentimental way,” she says. “For example, how does a particular lamp flicked on at dusk transform the mood? This connection to an environment is more interesting to me than the pieces in it. But the right pieces, in their right place, conjure these connections.” This reverence for the moments within everyday life is an evident cornerstone of Jess’s approach. Among the spaces filled with beautiful art and designer furniture, one may find an open book, a power cord or crumpled sheets. Though intentionally placed by the deft hand of the stylist, these authentic touches lend Jess’s work its characteristic emotive quality – evocations of the simple things that give zest to life.
