Jess Yeomans is an illustrator, small business owner, merchant mariner, and lifelong admirer of nature, art, and the ocean. Born and raised on Long Island, New York, she now lives in South Portland, Maine, where she balances her work as a freelance illustrator with life on the water.

Jess graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City with a BFA in Illustration. Following graduation in 2008, she moved to Kensington, Brooklyn. She worked at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators in New York City for several years before transitioning to full-time freelance illustration in 2011.

Jess works primarily in traditional media with a focus on wildlife and nautical themed art. Over the past few years, Jess has been busy painting vessel commissions for maritime companies and crews. Throughout her extensive career as an illustrator, she has illustrated nine published children's books, exhibited her work in gallery shows, and received multiple awards.  Jess has also worked on many projects including food merchandising, branding, portraits, murals and logos.  In December of 2015, Jess launched Whale and Anchor--her solo owned and operated small art business. Be sure to check out her online shop and Instagram.

Alongside her art career, Jess is a proud merchant mariner with over a decade of experience working aboard harbor tugboats throughout New York Harbor and surrounding waterways. Jess began her career as a deckhand, working her way up the hawsepipe to a mate’s position. She currently holds a 1600 Ton Near Coastal Mate license and a 200 Ton Master of Towing endorsement. 

When she's not running tugboats or Whale And Anchor, she enjoys spending time outdoors in Maine, drawing and painting in her sketchbook, running (she has completed over 60 road races including the 2013 NYC Marathon and four Brooklyn Half Marathons), hiking (she’s summited Katahdin three times), camping, snowboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, being on (or in) the water, animals, photography and taking in the beauty of life's everyday moments.

.Awards & Recognition

• "People's Choice Show" exhibit at Greenpoint Gallery
• "Animals" Light, Space and Time Online Art Competition, Special Merit Award
• "A Common Theme: Portraiture" exhibit at the Art League of Long Island
• EARTH: Fragile Planet exhibit at the Society of Illustrators
• Audubon Artists, Inc. 66th Annual Exhibition
• Audubon Artists Inc.65th Annual Exhibition, James and Elaine Hewlitt Award
• Design Against Fur National Poster Design Competition, Honorary Mention Award
• Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Exhibition, Barnett Plunkett Award
• Fashion Institute of Technology, Graduation Departmental Award
• Fashion Institute of Technology Senior Show

Partial Client List

• Moran Towing
• McAllister Towing
• Portland Tugboat
• Vane Brothers Company
• HS Marine Propulsion
• Cavendish Square Publishing
• Marshall Cavendish Publishing
• Reading A-Z
• The Food Group
• Dannon Yogurt
• The Florida Department of Citrus

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Member 

Society of Illustrators Member