Jess

Jess (born Burgess Collins, 1923, 2004) was an American painter and collage artist based in San Francisco, known for his richly layered works blending mythology, literary allusion, and visual wordplay. He studied at the California School of Arts and Crafts and was a central figure in the San Francisco Renaissance, sharing his life and artistic dialogue with poet Robert Duncan. His intricate paste-ups and oil paintings draw on comic strips, popular imagery, and art historical references to create dreamlike, densely symbolic compositions.