Speakers

 

 

 

About Jess

Born in Ontario, Canada, and raised in California’s Napa Valley, Jessica McGuinty is becoming known around the world as the charismatic curly hair expert pushing curl pride through healthy hair.

Jess founded Jessicurl in 2002 after years of fighting with and hating her curly hair. Determined that there had to be a better way, she started creating products that would contribute to the health of her hair rather than continuing to damage it. She wasn’t the only curly head with these struggles, and Jessicurl grew quickly through word of mouth on websites such as NaturallyCurly.com.

What started as a home-based business Is now an internationally recognized brand with a factory and full-time staff. In 2006 Jess was a featured guest on

The Rachel Ray Show, where she showed the audience how to get the most out of their curly hair using the tips and techniques she devised.

Jess is often asked to speak to university classes, Rotary clubs and youth seminars as audiences find her to be inspiring and her bubbly personality keeps them entertained. She has also been a guest on numerous radio programs and even hosts her own World Music show at the highest-rated radio station in her current home of Humboldt County, CA.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Jessicurl experience has been the emails and letters from curly haired women of all ages who thank Jess for helping them to finally love and accept their curls.

 

 

Shawn Griggs, a native California, has been creating art for 20 plus years.  Since receiving a degree in studio/graphic arts from Humboldt State University in 1994, Shawn has become proficient in illustration, graphic design, watercolors, and most recently oil painting.

 

Besides painting, Shawn is also an avid Humboldt County surfer with a hunger for travel.  Both the north cost and experiences abroad supply Shawn with the bulk of his imagery and each painting has a story behind it.  This love for the coast combined with his application of color and design result in bold, colorful paintings that are pleasing to the eye.

 

 Shawn in his own words:

My work obviously reflects my great love and admiration for the ocean, and it was almost 25 years ago I was introduced to the sport of surfing. As with most who stick with it through the steep learning curve, I became addicted. This healthy addiction eventually introduced me to the joys of travel and the world became a new exciting place to explore (ok, mostly for waves). What I have taken away over the years is what I convey through my paintings. Surfing is such a huge, important part of my life, I guess it’s only natural that I paint about it. Almost like this is the least I can do to show my respect for all the joy the ocean and surfing has given me. Whether it’s a local destination where I live in Humboldt County, California or some mysto spot deep across foreign borders, I love to paint the little moments we experience when looking for waves. The other obvious influence in my work is of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It is not only related to my trips to Mexico, but also from running Latin Restaurant with my wife for 11 years. Not much painting was done during that time but a lot of pent up artistic energy was building, and in 2006 we sold the business and I started painting full time. The Skeleton paintings have become my most popular pieces, and 90% of the commissions I am graciously asked to do are of skeletons, family portraits to be exact. The skeleton has become a great way for me to represent who someone is on the inside rather than their physical resemblance on the outside. I look at the skeleton as a metaphor for the human spirit which I believe is within each and every one of us. Currently, I am working in a direction that explores not only my love for the ocean and surfing, but also infuses a spiritual side which has developed from my work with “Dia de los Muertos”. I really appreciate you reading this and I hope it helps give some insight into the world I live in.

Shawn “Redeye” Griggs