Hello

​My name is Jessica Lynn. I am now sixty-one years old, born to British parents in California. This unique background granted me dual citizenship, and I now reside in the Midlands, near Nottingham. While I prefer not to share too much about my personal life, I think it is important to mention that I am a transgender woman. This is relevant, as much of my work and training took place before my transition.

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As a very young child, I found solace in art, using it as a means to escape reality. I loved drawing, working with clay, and especially painting with oil paints. Down below are a couple of photos of artwork I created before my twelfth birthday.

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During my teenage years, I decided to turn my artistic talents into a career. At the age of sixteen, I enrolled in a local college class focused on sign painting. It was 1981—a time before computers became household items. Through this course, I learned to develop and hand-letter a large variety of fonts and create beautiful signs. I excelled in the course, progressing to advanced classes to further expand my knowledge. Simultaneously, I studied graphic arts at a different local college, as I was determined to pursue a career in this field.

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After a couple of years, the instructor of the sign painting course was so impressed with my abilities that he offered me a job. This opportunity proved invaluable, allowing me to learn and grow as a signwriter.

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In 1984, I opened my own sign shop and became a young entrepreneur. I was passionate about my work, finding immense satisfaction in the creativity and variety each day brought. My business flourished, and at just nineteen, I secured a contract with a chain of home improvement stores—stores much like B&Q here in the UK.

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By 1987-88, the introduction of the Signmaker 1V-A marked a significant change in the industry, as hand-painted signs gave way to computer-generated ones. Many signwriting businesses closed or shifted to other trades. At this juncture, I entered the construction business, joining my brother, who was a builder. I specialised in finish carpentry and, in the early 1990s, opened a cabinet shop—a trade that allowed me to express my creativity in new ways. Although my primary focus shifted, I continued to paint signs occasionally when the opportunity arose.

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In 2009, I made the life-changing decision to transition and embrace my true self. While I continued my work in cabinetry, I also became an international advocate for the transgender community, travelling the world as a speaker and educator. Around 2018, I permanently relocated to the UK, finding comfort in my British roots and appreciating the British sense of humour, which I find far more appealing than its American counterpart.

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When the pandemic struck, I was living in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham. It was during this time that I decided to pick up my artist’s brushes once more. Examples of my recent artwork can be found here on my website. While I remain an advocate for our community, I no longer plan to travel internationally as I once did. Now, settled in England, I hope to utilise my skills as a signwriter to create bespoke, hand-painted signs for local businesses. My aim is to offer something original and heartfelt—made by hand, not by computer—much like a home-cooked meal--rather than something mass-produced with a corporate feel.