From Teaching to TV – Jessica McCall

Words & Photos Jessica McCall

@jessmccallart @jessnmccall

My name is Jessica McCall, I am 21 and I work as a kids’ entertainer in the Barossa Valley.

Last year I created this commission piece for a short film called ‘FlugelBound’, made by UniSA Students. There are in fact two paintings I prepared for this film—a complete and incomplete version of the same portrait; each to be used in two different pivotal scenes.
These acts required me to copy the painting from a photograph of the actor, which was a rewarding challenge to undertake.

I have produced a number of artworks throughout my life, including for competitions, exhibitions and commission pieces. As a child, I enjoyed having drawings, paintings and clay sculptures on display at the local country shows.

In 2020, I participated in SALA’s exhibition ‘100 Barossa Artists’, which was a display of over 100 original self-portraits by local creatives.

The following year, one of my oil paintings was displayed at the Barossa Regional Gallery as part of the Vintage Art Prize Competition—it was an excellent opportunity to create a piece which expressed myself and my journey as a creative.

I previously studied a minor in visual art as part of a secondary education degree, but I have since deferred to a Bachelor of Creative Industries with a major in Film and Television and a sub-major in Journalism.

Although I enjoy creating visual art, my current program gives me an opportunity to follow my long-term passion for the television and entertainment industry.

I have always been a creative person, whether it be through visual arts, acting, scriptwriting, singing or puppetry. Being given the opportunity to MC a local show last year truly helped me pinpoint the direction I wanted my career to head in, and the type of work I would like to pursue in the long run. My goal is to eventually have my own television show, where I can incorporate my skills in art and other forms of creativity—an occupation where I can combine my creativity with a high-energy media and community presence to positively impact others is very important to me and I am grateful I can work towards that at UniSA.