A Life Outside with Jess Kneebone

Freelance art director and stylist Jess Kneebone works with some of Melbourne’s most prestigious architects and designers. As a creative who dabbles across multidisciplinary forms of visual communication, the great outdoors have always provided both inspiration and respite.

Jess’ styling of a Melbourne terrace interior by Oliver Du Puy Architecture & Interiors. Photography by Tom Ross.

What comes to mind when you think of A Life Outside?

For me, it’s about slowing down and tuning in. Being outside clears the mental clutter, it gets me out of my head and back into my body. Whether it’s walking a track lined with trees and no buildings in sight, diving into salty water, sharing food with friends on the grass, hearing waves roll in, or simply watching light and shadow move through rustling leaves, it offers a kind of presence and perspective that walls just can’t hold.

Pleated House in Albert Park designed by Naomi Brennan Architects and styled by Jess. Photography by Tom Ross.

Why did you choose to go into art direction & styling?

I’m curious about the world and how we tell stories without words. Styling allows me to shape the visual language of a place, a space, or a photograph and ultimately, to create a connection with the person on the other side of it.

Our Billy Collection, styled by Jess.

Could you share your creative process?

If a space, product or environment already exists, I usually start by spending time with it; visiting, observing, learning. I pay attention to what’s already there, and build from that. I think about how it’s going to be used, and the kind of feeling we want to evoke. It’s a mix of practical decisions and instinct. Ultimately, it’s about creating something that resonates.

‘Timber Structures’ photography series, a collaborative project between Jess and Lily Thompson.

How do the great Australian outdoors influence you as a creative?

We’re incredibly lucky here to have access to land, water, and vast open space. The Australian landscape has a distinct palette I keep returning to; weathered timber or rusted metal. I’m drawn to materials that feel like they belong outside, or that echo the colours and textures of the natural world. A lot of my approach leans that way too; towards forms that feel organic, less constructed, more in rhythm with what’s around us.

Art Direction for Loess. Photography by Pier Carthew.

What does sustainability mean to you, and how does it play out in the work you do?

To me, sustainability is about care. I’d rather use fewer pieces that are well made, locally produced, manufactured or found; things that last and hold meaning.

Swing Chair in electropolished stainless steel.

Quick 6

Most inspiring outdoor space?
The backyard I grew up in. It was wild and unkempt, but magical in that childhood way. As kids we’d spend hours out there; playing, imagining, just being. It was sort of the hero of the house, like the living room I’d always wanted; open and endlessly changing. I think it taught me to notice nature too; the scents, the colours, the light, the way things feel.

Favourite regular outdoor hangout?
Merri Creek. My studio backs onto it and it’s that perfect in-between; scrappy, native, urban, alive. In the warmer months when the cicadas hum and the creek’s flowing, I almost forget I’m in the city.

Favourite outdoor sculpture/piece of art?
Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay (NSW). It’s not a sculpture in the traditional sense, but the whole garden feels like a living artwork—layered, personal and dreamlike. It’s a space shaped by grief, love, and care, and you feel that in every corner.

Must-see Australian landscape?
The Otways are hard to beat. Towering gums, cool rainforest air, and that sudden shift when you reach the sea. Parker Inlet, in particular, is so special; secluded, salty, and somehow both wild and peaceful at once.

What do you love about A Life Outside?
It slows you down. Reminds you to actually be where you are.

Favourite Tait piece?
I love the Swing Chair. It’s playful yet refined. The form is open and sculptural, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It feels like the kind of piece that could have been here for years—or still will be, years from now.

 

Visit Jess' website
Published 7 July 2025
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