About the Artist
Jessica Hand Bertsch works as an artist and therapist in New Orleans. For the past 13 years, she has studied drawing live models with Classical Realist instruction from Carol Peebles at the Blue Easel Club. Jessica has also attended classes at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts and has studied with amazingly talented teachers over the years. For much of this time studying, Jessica focused on practicing the discipline and technique of classical realism but has recently begun to explore a more imaginative side of drawing when she began to learn about the world of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Jessica is a certified IFS therapist and practices the process of IFS insight work through creating pieces of art. She is also a signature member of the Degas Pastel Society.
Exibitions and awards
New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts Annual Student Show Award 2017 - Figure drawings received the Louie Prima Scholarship Award
New Orleans Art Association Juried National Art Show 2024 -“How Can I Tell You” received a Merit Award for the New Orleans Art Association (NOAA)
Floor 13 “EmpowHER” Art Exhibition 2025
The Degas House Art Festival 2025
Artist Statement
I dedicate my work to the exploration our collective trauma and invite the viewer into collective healing.
As both an artist and a psychotherapist, I work with the subconscious—both in the therapy room and on the easel. I’ve worked as a social worker in New Orleans for over 20 years, and studied classical realism with live models for 15. These two paths have begun to collide, and that collision has lit a fire under me. Merging the discipline of classical style with a formless flow of exploring the imagination is a deeply satisfying dance that drives my spirit.
A central story that I challenge in my work is the collective repression of the feminine in our psyche, and of the Earth itself. We’ve long underestimated the power of feminine energy—its ability to heal through openness, compassion, and connection and its unmoving presence that can withstand the force of violence.
My work is an act of love—a love note to humanity. I try to name the untrue stories we carry, and in doing so, honor the truth of who we really are. I see how beautiful people are beneath those stories. And I hop you will see it too.