Bio

I was born in Boston and raised in Quincy, Massachusetts on the edge of Quincy Bay.  On clear days you could see Boston. Home today is Hopkinton, a mere 26 miles from Boston and the start of the Marathon.  In my youth, I explored nature at the beach and in nearby salt marshes.

Taking photos of nature and copying cartoon characters were my earliest artistic endeavors.  I pursued these areas more formally as a college undergraduate with a double major in studio art and political science with an eye toward political cartooning as a potential career.

I continued my artistic development as an avocation through woodcuts, cartoons, and photography as I obtained a graduate degree in urban health and environmental planning.  My urban planning training afforded me a long career in the health and environmental fields.  It also allowed me to integrate my dual interests in art and politics with the ability to see built and natural environments from both design and healing perspectives.

In recent years, I participated with architects, engineers, construction managers, and medical researchers on construction project teams for a medical school.  This experience, combined with my own artistic pursuits heightened my interest in the use of art in health care facilities, educational institutions, and cultural environments.  In particular, I have come to appreciate the use of mosaics as aesthetic elements and community engagement tools.  My own foray into mosaics reflects this personal and professional evolution.  My subject matter continues to include natural environments and cities.

I exhibit regularly in New England.  I invite you to explore my mosaic, illustration, and photography galleries.  If you see something you like I’d love to hear from you. Likewise, if you would like pricing information or are interested in commission work, please contact me at jeancummiskey@gmail.com.  And thank you for visiting.

Jean Marie Cummiskey