Jess Tolbert is Assistant Professor of Art and Head of the Jewelry + Metals program at the University of Texas, El Paso. She received her Masters and Bachelors degrees in Fine Arts, both with a focus on metal and jewelry. Jess actively exhibits her work nationally and internationally. Her research and studio practice explores and reconsiders the commonplace objects of everyday life and mass production, creating an intimate link to our relationship with labor and the built environment.

• GIA Scholarship - Distance Education eLearning - Gemological Institute of America (12/01/2020-12/31/2020)
• Vera Wise Memorial Scholarship Fund for the Arts - University of Texas at El Paso (09/08/2020)
• Best Piece of Jewelry/Small Scale Metal - The Stanlee & Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts (05/28/2020)
• Arleigh B. and Maxie G. Templeton Endowment for Art - UTEP Department of Art (05/27/2020)
• Distinguished Honor - 'Greater-Than" Brooch - Houston Metal Arts Guild (02/08/2020)
• Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Finalist - Loewe Foundation (01/21/2020)
• Preziosa Young 2020 - Le Arte Orafe Jewellry School (LAO) (01/16/2020)
• Outstanding 3D Studio Artist - Department of Art, College of Liberal Arts (11/27/2019)
• Arleigh B. and Maxie G. Templeton Endowment for Art - UTEP Department of Art (04/08/2019)
• Windgate Fellowship - Center for Craft (03/27/2019)
• Honorable Mention, Craft Forms 2018 - Wayne Art Center (12/07/2018)
• Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Finalist - Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (09/14/2018)
• Arleigh B. and Maxie G. Templeton Endowment for Art - UTEP Department of Art (05/01/2018)
• Arleigh B. and Maxie G. Templeton Endowment for Art - UTEP Department of Art (05/16/2017)

• MFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign (2013)
• BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Texas State University, San Marcos (2009)

• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Preziosa Young 2020 (10/29/2020-11/08/2020). Le Arti Orafe Jewelry School. Florence, Italy. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Amend (10/02/2020-11/27/2020). Secret Identity Projects. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Growth & Evolution (09/22/2020-10/07/2020). Beijing Design Week. Beijing, China. Jessica Tolbert.
• Artistic Presentation - The Handmedal Project (08/01/2020-11/07/2020). Jimena Rios & Iris Eichenberg. Jessica Tolbert. Leslie Alcala. Undergraduate. Mike Bombach. Undergraduate. Kyra Delgado. Undergraduate. Ivan Esparza. Undergraduate. Johnny Galindo. Undergraduate. Melissa Reyna. Undergraduate. Cressa Gonzales. Undergraduate. Roxanne Gonzalez. Undergraduate. Valeria Gonzalez Torres. Undergraduate. Brian Holt. Undergraduate. Felix Leal. Undergraduate. Noelle Marquez. Undergraduate. Navil Garcia. Undergraduate. Chantel Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Eber Sanchez. Undergraduate. Valeria Tejada. Undergraduate. Roxanne Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado Marquez.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Borderless Spaces (06/25/2020-08/10/2020). VizStudio. El Paso, TX, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Preziosa Young 2020 (05/28/2020-06/05/2020). Le Arti Orafe Jewelry School. Florence, Italy. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Loewe Foundation Craft Prize (05/21/2020-07/12/2020). Loewe Foundation. Paris, France. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Invitational - One World (04/30/2020-08/31/2020). Gallery Loupe. Online, Montclair, NJ, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Invitational - Object Permanence (04/10/2020-05/24/2020). Baltimore Jewelry Center. Baltimore, MD, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Passenger (03/11/2020-03/13/2020). Munich Jewelry Week/Current Obsession. Munich, Germany. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Bedtime Stories (03/08/2020-03/12/2020). Curators: Anya Kivarkis, Yevgeniya Kaganovich. Munich, Germany. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Growth & Evolution (02/14/2020-03/01/2020). OSD Industrial Co., Ltd., Yesheng Art & Design Center, & COLLECTIVA | Joalharia de Autor, . Shanghai, China. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Preziosa Young 2020 (02/14/2020-02/17/2020). Le Arti Orafe Jewelry School. Munich, Germany. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Los Milagros (02/10/2020-03/15/2020). UTEP Student Engagement & Leadership Center. El Paso, TX, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Carolina Villarreal. Undergraduate. Josiah Morgan. Undergraduate. Kristen Morales. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Roxana Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado Marquez. Undergraduate. Emilio Aguilar. Undergraduate. Alan Maguregui-Fuentes. Undergraduate. Roberto Vazquez. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Alexa Guerrero. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Metal Complexions (02/02/2020-02/28/2020). Houston Metal Arts Guild. Houston, TX, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Invitational - (not so) Common Objects (01/28/2020-02/17/2020). Winthrop University, Department of Fine Arts. Rock Hill, SC, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Invitational - Reliant Objects (01/16/2020-03/07/2020). Alberta University of the Arts. Alberta, Calgary, Canada. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Craft Forms (12/07/2019-02/01/2020). Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Constructional (12/04/2019-12/24/2019). Chicago, Illinois, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, One-Person - Wear This Space (12/02/2019-12/06/2019). El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate.
• Art - Arts Festival - Las Artistas Art & Fine Crafts Show (11/23/2019-11/24/2019). Las Artistas. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate. Alan Fuentes. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Miguel Quintana. Undergraduate. Emilio Aguilar. Undergraduate. Josiah Morgan. Undergraduate. Roxana Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Roberto Vazquez. Undergraduate. Carolina Villareal. Undergraduate. Alexa Guerrero. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Earrings Galore (11/19/2019-11/24/2019). Heidi Lowe & New York City Jewelry Week. New York, New York, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Constructional (11/19/2019-11/23/2019). Gallery 2052 & New York City Jewelry Week. New York, New York, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Lineage (10/14/2019-10/18/2019). El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Alan Maguregui. Undergraduate. Alexa Guerrero. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate. Emilio Aguilar. Undergraduate. Josiah Morgan. Undergraduate. Carolina Villareal. Undergraduate. Roxana Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Roberto Vazquez. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Not-So-Lone-Star Studios: A Gathering of Texas Makers (09/15/2019-12/08/2019). Texas Tech University. Lubbock, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, One-Person - > (greater-than) (09/07/2019-11/03/2019). Brooklyn Metal Works. Brooklyn, New York, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - What Makes Us (08/26/2019-08/29/2019). Artspace Lofts. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Alex Arrioja. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Miguel Quintana. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Alan Maguregui. Undergraduate. Alexa Guerrero. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Building on the Body: Identity, Materials, Jewelry (08/01/2019-09/22/2019). The Mervin Bovaird Foundation, Tom & Susie Wallace, Jan Jennings & Herb Gottfried, TODD Architecture Group, Doug Campbell. Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - The Places We Know (05/22/2019-05/25/2019). Society of North American Goldsmiths. Chicago, Illinois, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Cassandra Adame. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Not-So-Lone-Star Studios: A Gathering of Texas Makers (05/16/2019-08/09/2019). El Paso, Texas, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Earrings Galore (05/15/2019-12/31/2019). Heidi Lowe. Rehoboth Beach, Deleware, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - 2019 Annual Juried UTEP Student Art Exhibition (05/10/2019-08/09/2019). The Stanlee & Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Jill Font. Undergraduate. Alexa Guerrero. Undergraduate. Andrew Holguin. Undergraduate. Alan Maguregui. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Dina Edens-Perlasca. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - 4th Annual Borderline Jewelry + Metals Silent Auction (04/19/2019-04/24/2019). Borderline Jewelry + Metals. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Cassandra Adame. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate. Mariel Cheda. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, One-Person - Thought Spaces (04/15/2019-04/19/2019). El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, One-Person - Life Lines (04/08/2019-04/12/2019). El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Cassandra Adame. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Group 1 (03/01/2019-03/29/2019). El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Materials: Hard & Soft, International Contemporary Craft Exhibition & Competition (02/01/2019-05/04/2019). Greater Denton Arts Council. Denton, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Not-So-Lone-Star Studios: A Gathering of Texas Makers (01/14/2019-02/15/2019). San Jacinto College South Campus. Houston, Texas, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Craft Forms (12/08/2018-01/26/2019). Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Arts Festival - Las Artistas Art & Fine Crafts Show (11/17/2018-11/18/2018). Las Artistas. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate. Sarah Castro. Undergraduate. Mariel Cheda. Undergraduate. Alan Fuentes. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Jorge Rubio. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Sheila Mendez. Undergraduate. Caitlin Pierson. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Dina Edens. Undergraduate. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Miguel Quintana. Undergraduate. Cassandra Adame. Undergraduate. Michelle Prado. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - KNOCKOFF (11/15/2018-11/15/2018). New York City Jewelry Week . New York City, New York, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - UTEP and Las Artistas Celebrate 25 Years of Collaboration (11/12/2018-11/12/2018). The Prospector. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - UTEP Shaping Artists in Metals, Sculpture, and Ceramics (11/10/2018-11/10/2018). El Paso Inc.. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - In Depth (11/05/2018-12/04/2018). Glass Gallery. Jessica Tolbert. Sarah Castro. Undergraduate. Mariel Cheda. Undergraduate. Alan Fuentes. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Sheila Mendez. Undergraduate. Caitlin Pierson. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Dina Edens. Undergraduate. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Miguel Quintana. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Refined (10/26/2018-12/29/2018). Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art. Nacogdoches, Texas, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - CraftTexas 2018 (09/29/2018-01/06/2019). Houston, Texas, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Transformation 10: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, The Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize Exhibition (09/14/2018-03/23/2019). Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, One-Person - Hello, My Name Is (08/31/2018-09/30/2018). Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD). El Paso, Texas, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Not-So-Lone Star Studios: A Gathering of Texas Makers (08/21/2018-09/21/2018). Brookhaven Community College. Farmers Branch, Texas, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - Earrings Galore (06/29/2018-12/31/2018). Heidi Lowe. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, USA. Jess Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Finalists Announcements (12/31/2020). various online platforms. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Art Works in Publication - Preziosa Young 2020 - Ethical Jewellery, Recycling Sustainability - Jess Tolbert, Greater-Than Series (12/31/2020). Le Arti Orafe Jewellery School. Florence, Italy. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Art Works in Publication - Woven Brooch (12/31/2020). Growth & Evolution International Jewellery Exhibition. Beijing, China. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - UTEP Artists Lend a Hand to Thank COVID-19 Caregivers (11/14/2020). UTEP Communications, by Daniel Perez. Jessica Tolbert.
• Other - The Open Call Podcast with Secret Identity Projects (11/04/2020). Podcast: Guest Artist & Curator. Laura Tanner and Anne Stagg. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - UTEP Professor Among Finalists for Major Art Prize (09/14/2020). UTEP Communications, by Daniel Perez. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - UTEP Professor named a finalist for Loewe Foundation’s Craft Prize (09/14/2020). El Paso Herald Post. El Paso, Tx, USA. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Academics in Pandemic (08/31/2020). Ethical Metalsmiths. Jessica Tolbert. Adrianne Ramirez. Undergraduate. Alan Maguregui-Fuentes. Undergraduate. Alejandro Saldierna. Undergraduate. Alex Varela. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Alissa Smith. Undergraduate. Andres Delgado. Undergraduate. Andrew Hernandez. Undergraduate. Brandon Contreras. Undergraduate. Brandon Soto. Undergraduate. Carolina Villarreal. Undergraduate. Feddia Dean. Undergraduate. Elena Sotelo. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado Marquez. Undergraduate. Jade Chaides. Undergraduate. Jessica Ceballos. Undergraduate. Jessica Rivera. Undergraduate. Josiah Morgan. Undergraduate. Kristen Morales. Undergraduate. Luis Rios. Undergraduate. Marlene Garcia. Undergraduate. Mitzy Lira. Undergraduate. Nayla Castillo. Undergraduate. Omar Alcantar. Undergraduate. Roxana Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Skylar Boone. Undergraduate.
• Other - From Home: Artifacts of Isolation (08/31/2020). Educator Award - Academics in Pandemic. Ethical Metalsmiths. Jessica Tolbert. Kerianne Quick.
• Art - Art Works in Publication - 2020 Digital Student Slideshow (05/31/2020). Society of North American Goldsmiths. Jessica Tolbert. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado Marquez. Undergraduate. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - 2020 Juried Student Exhibition - Grit to Gold (05/31/2020). Society of North American Goldsmiths. Jessica Tolbert. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Competitive - 2020 Annual Juried UTEP Student Art Exhibition (05/28/2020). The Stanlee & Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Alan Maguregui. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado Marquez. Undergraduate. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Jessica Rivera. Undergraduate. Kristen Morales. Undergraduate. Roxana Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Alejandro Saldierna. Undergraduate.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - On the Road (04/30/2020). Design Exhibition Scotland. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - Interview with Jess Tolbert, one of the winners of PREZIOSA YOUNG 2020 (03/13/2020). Alice Rendon, Florence Jewellery Week. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - 30 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize finalists show mastery with material (02/06/2020). Wallpaper, an online and print magazine for international design. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Art Works in Publication - Jewelry and Metalsmithing Survey, Volume 3 (12/31/2019). Society of North American Goldsmiths. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - Reversing the Role of Architecture: Repetition, Rhythm, and Pattern (08/28/2019). Art Jewelry Forum, written by Kelly Ann Temple. Jessica Tolbert.
• Reviews and Articles About Creative Work(s) - Not So Lone Star Studios: A Gathering of Texas Makers (05/23/2019). Glasstire, Texas Visual Art. Texas. Jessica Tolbert.
• Art - Arts Festival - International Sculpture Day (04/27/2019). International Sculpture Center. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate. Alan Fuentes. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate. Miguel Quintana. Undergraduate. Alexa Guerrero. Undergraduate. Miranda Morales. Undergraduate. Sarah Castro. Undergraduate. Mariel Cheda. Undergraduate. Andrew Holguin. Undergraduate. Sheila Mendez. Undergraduate. Caitlin Pierson. Undergraduate. Carla Quigley. Undergraduate.
• Art - Exhibition, Group - Jewelry Sale (04/25/2019). Last Thursdays. El Paso, Texas, USA. Jessica Tolbert. Alexa Guerrero. Undergraduate. Gabriela Alvarado. Undergraduate. Mariel Cheda. Undergraduate. Alan Fuentes. Undergraduate. Kristin Morales. Undergraduate. Alicia Moreno. Undergraduate. Miguel Aguilar. Undergraduate. Alejandro Arrioja. Undergraduate. Nichole Licking. Undergraduate. Jessica Rodriguez. Undergraduate.
• Art - Art Works in Publication - Jewelry and Metalsmithing Survey, Volume 2 (12/31/2018). Society of North American Goldsmiths. Jessica Tolbert.

No info available.

• Amend (2020), Volume Online, Jessica L. Tolbert.
• Amend (2020), Volume Online, Jessica L. Tolbert.
• Passenger (2020), Volume Munich, Germany, Jessica L. Tolbert.
• Greater-Than (2019), Volume Lubbock, Texas, Jessica L. Tolbert.
• Greater-Than (2019), Volume Brooklyn Metal Works, Brooklyn, NY, Jessica L. Tolbert.
• The Haul (2019), Volume Chicago, Illinois, Jessica L. Tolbert.
• The Sum of Its Parts (2019), Volume Denton, Texas, USA, Jess Tolbert.
• The Sum of Its Parts (2019), Volume Farmers Branch, Texas, USA, Jess Tolbert.

• Art + Labor
• Rachelle Thiewes Endowment
• Artist Incubator Program