This year, our holiday artwork comes from painter Jessie Beard. Her work is built in layers, led by feeling rather than detail, and it turns out to have more in common with hair than you might expect: a little messy, a little unpredictable, and always better when someone brings it back under control.
Her piece is the face of our Holiday 2026 season, and you'll meet it where you least expect to: on a shelf, on a gift bag, in pieces. We sat down with Jessie to ask how it came together, what Christmas in Australia looks like in paint, and what she'd tell anyone thinking about picking up a brush.
How Does Jessie Start a Painting?
Not with a pencil sketch. Jessie's process begins with being somewhere. "I'm not a paint exactly what I see kind of artist," she says. "I paint what I felt, what I experienced, what little moments of the bigger picture intrigued me the most."
From there, a few things shape the first marks: photos as prompts, memory, and whichever colours she's drawn to at the time. Then there's the studio itself. Some days it's fast, when time is short or the kids are keeping her company. Other days it's slow and meditative, with a well organised space and a day to herself.
Her paintings are built in layers, with different mediums, textures, and plenty of adding and taking away. Halfway through, she either sees the finished piece clearly or realises she needs to make some bold changes (she often goes to bed resolving a painting in her head). Knowing when to stop comes down to one question: "Will this mark or section of detail actually add anything to the artwork?" If the answer is no, it's finished. And there's a good chance she's tried it, and wiped it away, already.
How Do You Paint Celebration Without Painting the Obvious?
No baubles required. For Jessie, it's about colour and movement, the two things at the core of her practice.
"Thinking about the togetherness and celebration of Australian Christmas, I needed warmth with pops of coolness to evoke summer, bright hues to express joy, and movement that is both energetic and encapsulating like an overdue embrace."
That last line says it well. It's the feeling of the whole family finally in one place, in the heat, with the long table and the open doors. You don't need to paint a single present to get there.
What Happens When Art Lives on a Gift Bag?
Most people will meet this artwork on a shelf or a gift bag, not a gallery wall, and Jessie says that changed how she approached it. It was the first time she'd made a piece where hanging on a wall wasn't the main job.
"Knowing that pieces from it will be captured and used in different ways, I wanted to be able to offer the essence of the entire work from any small portion that's seen."
So wherever a corner of it turns up, from a tag to a bag to the front of a display, it should still feel like the whole painting. She also admits a couple of marks had her stuck for quite a while before the piece settled. The result, she says, gave her "so much expressive freedom", and that was very rewarding.
Where Do Art and Hair Overlap?
Jessie has long hair herself, and she sees the parallel straight away. "Like my paintings, there's the messy and unpredictable and then the tame and bringing back control."
Anyone who's spent a humid December trying to get a blow dry to hold will know the feeling. Movement and texture are central to how she paints, and they're exactly what our Hair Studio stylists work with every day.
What's Playing in the Studio?
Audiobooks had a go, but she kept stopping mid-brushstroke to listen. These days it's silence on some days, music on others. If you're curious, expect The Rions and Gang of Youths on repeat.
Jessie's Advice for Picking Up a Brush
Her advice is short: "Less thinking, more doing."
The best part of making art, she says, is the discovery. Try different mediums and brushes, layer it up, and don't worry about getting it wrong. "There's no mistakes, just opportunity to find a process that fulfills you."
We think that's good advice for most things, including a new haircut.
See Jessie's Artwork This Holiday Season
Look out for Jessie Beard's artwork across our Holiday 2026 range, in-store and online. If you're after something for someone, our Hair & Beauty Advisors are always happy to help you find the right gift. Shop online with free standard delivery on orders over $70, or pick up in-store with Click & Collect.