About the Artist
Raised in a Nicaraguan household in Miami, FL and now residing in Baltimore City, Jessy DeSantis is a self-taught artist creating meaningful, vibrant work. Their painting's stark contrast of vibrant color and white space draws the viewer into their subjects. They are inspired by their connection to nature, food, family, and their Central American roots. Their paintings, often depicting birds, are more than just visually beautiful, many carry in them intention with a story to be told. They seek to pass on these stories of heritage and truth with all of it's complexities to their children and future generations. The artist states that as they grow and evolve through life, that their art will evolve and shift with them. They are currently mastering the art of portraiture and storytelling through a cultural and historical lens.
Education
Florida International University, Miami, FL, Masters in Accounting, 2014
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Bachelors in Accounting, 2012
Selected Publications
2025 Malflora Magazine “Issue 1: Latina/e Lesbian Lives and Legacies”, by Malflora Collective
2024, "Issue 10”, by Veronica Melendez and Kimberly Benavides, La Horchata Zine
2023 “Revolutionary Love” by Ellen Hoobler, Ph.D., Bmoreart Magazine issue 15
2022 “Migrantes, Fronteras esquivas: arte, pensamiento y cultura desde las migraciones” Discriminaciones, Publicación de la Fundación Heinrich Böll Oficina San Salvador para Centroamérica
2021 "Reconnecting with, passing along heritage", front page spread, by Stephanie Garcie, The Baltimore Sun
2021 “En Los Tiempos de Cuarentena", Issue 8”, by Veronica Melendez and Kimberly Benavides, La Horchata Zine
2019 “Verano, Issue 6”, by Veronica Melendez and Kimberly Benavides, La Horchata Zine
Residencies & Fellowships
2023 Morgan State University's Center for the Study of Religion and the City, Popol Vuh Retteling Fellowship Baltimore, MD. USA
2021 McDonogh Artist Residency, Owings Mill, MD. USA
2021 Maryland Institute College of the Arts, CP22 Artist Fellowship, Baltimore, MD. USA
Exhibition History
2025 Cecil College Milburn Stone Gallery, “En Raices y las” Solo Exhibition, Cecil County, MD USA
2025 The Walters Art Museum, "Latin American Art / Arte Latinoamericano", Baltimore, MD USA
2025 The Crow's Nest, "Ecocide", Baltimore, MD USA
2024 Unity Hall Gallery, "Unity in Full Bloom", Baltimore, MD USA
2023 Central Baltimore Partnership & Motor House, Curator, “CNTRL BMORE”, Baltimore, MD USA
2023 Usdan Gallery, "Connected Diaspora: U.S. Central American Visuality in the Age of Social Media", Benington, VT USA
2023 Motor House Gallery, Curator, "Return to the Land", Baltimore, MD USA
2023 Touchstone Gallery, "People and the Planet", Washington DC USA
2023 Homme Gallery, "The Awakening: Transforming Experiences", Washington DC USA
2022 Davenport Gallery, "Ancestral Medicine" Baltimore, MD USA
2021/2022 BWI International Art Gallery , "Complex Latino" Anne Arundel, MD USA
2021 Motor House , "SPOTLIGHT" Baltimore, MD USA
CV
Exhibition History Continued…
2021 Dupont Underground , "Somewhere Between" Washington DC USA
2021 SOMArts Cultural Center, “CARAVANA: Mobilizing Central American Art (1984–Present)” San Francisco, CA USA
2020 University of Maryland Stamp Gallery,“Connected Diaspora: U.S. Central American Visuality in the Age of Social Media”, College Park MD USA
2020 Jubilee Arts, Gallery, "Works by Jessy DeSantis, Window Exhibition", Baltimore MD USA
2020 Duke University Fredric Jameson Gallery, “Connected Diaspora: U.S. Central American Visuality in the Age of Social Media”, Durham, NC USA
2019 Baltimore City Hall Gallery, “Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration” Baltimore, MD USA.
Lectures, Workshops & Speeches
2020 Baltimore Design School, Guest Art Instructor, Baltimore, MD USA
2020 Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics & Intercultural Communication at UMBC, Guest Speaker: “Migration Stories", Baltimore County, MD USA
2020 University of Maryland, “Connected Diaspora” Panel discussion, College Park, MD USA
2021, The Walters Art Museum, “Dia de los Muertos” Lecturer, Baltimore MD, USA
2021 Archbishop Borders School, Guest Lecturer, Baltimore MD USA
2021 Towson University Latinx Graduation, Keynote Speaker, Towson, MD USA
2022 Baltimore City Community College LatinXUni2 Art Lesson Instructor, Baltimore, MD USA
2022 Goucher College, Guest Lecturer, Towson, MD USA
2023 Baltimore Museum of Art, “Raúl de Nieves: And imagine you are here” Community Art Instructor, Baltimore, MD USA
2023 University of Baltimore and NAMI, Community Art Instructor, Baltimore MD USA
2024 Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Guest Art Project Critique, Baltimore MD USA
2024, The Walters Art Museum and BMore Art Magazine, “ Artists Inspired by Place and the Past, Connecting to the Present” Presentation, Baltimore, MD USA
2025 Arts Every Day, Bmore Youth Arts Advocacy Council Guest Art Instructor, Baltimore, MD USA
2025 Baltimore City College High School, Talk and Tour of The Walters Art Museum, Latin American Exhibition, Baltimore, MD USA
2025 University of Maryland Department of American Studies, Guest Lecturer, College Park, MD
2025 University of Maryland Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics & Intercultural Communication, Immigration Appreciation Day Keynote Speaker, College Park, MD USA
Contact Me
Interested in my artwork or are looking for a lecturer, teacher or public speaker? Fill out some info and I will be in touch shortly. Can’t wait to hear from you!