Q&A: Jocelyn O Dickson Architecture
Though I’d seen glimpses of progress from the street of Jocelyn O Dickson Architecture’s Cape Elizabeth renovation on our dog walks through the beach neighborhood, I have Instagram to thank for connecting with Jocelyn, the principal architect behind her eponymous firm, in person. After months of learning about her work online and seeing JODA’s projects featured in various design publications, I finally had the chance to meet with Jocelyn, who goes by Jocie, earlier this summer. In talking about her favorite artists, her current projects, and her family life in Maine, I quickly learned that Jocie is as warm as the modern, yet inviting spaces she works to create for her clients.
Below, Jocie shares more about her work and her design inspiration, as well as her take on the variety of ways in which art can elevate a space.
Portrait of Jocie and a glimpse of a bedroom at JODA’s Rangeley project, Rock Camp. Photos by Greta Rybus.
Tell us a bit about yourself and Jocelyn O Dickson Architecture.
I grew up in Connecticut, but always spent a lot of time in Maine. My parents have a cabin in the Rangeley area, and we used to go up there every chance we got, all year round. The year I applied to architecture school, I lived with my brother for six months in Brunswick, and that’s when I realized the Portland area would be a great place to live. I then went to architecture school in NYC, and worked for firms there for about five years before moving to Maine and starting JODA in 2018. We found our house in Cape Elizabeth that same year and began the design and renovation process. We moved in at the end of February 2020 just before the pandemic began.
JODA’s Rock Camp project. Photo by Greta Rybus.
How do you describe your aesthetic?
Modern, minimal, warm, and human-centric. I want my spaces to feel clean and spacious, but also inviting. I incorporate natural materials wherever possible.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I am very much influenced by Scandinavian and Japanese design, so I love looking to some of my favorite designers and mentors from those parts of the world as well as to other architects working in similar climatic conditions - people working in the northeastern US and eastern Canada particularly. Another major source of inspiration is the local landscape and vernacular architecture specific to each project.
A pine-clad bedroom with a view of Lake Mooselookmegunticook. Photo by Greta Rybus.
In your view, what impact does art have on one’s home?
Art (which to me includes both fine art and handmade crafts and textiles) adds depth, personality, texture and interest to the home. Art infuses a home with character and brings the perspective of other people and parts of the world into a space. Art can also add liveliness and a sense of play into a space, a quality that is particularly important to me.
What does collecting art add to your life?
Collecting art is all about supporting and connecting with other creative people. My architecture practice would not exist without the support of my clients, so I love to support other artists and designers in turn. Many artworks in our home are gifts from family and friends, so the works also remind us of those people and hold memories of specific time periods or events in our lives.
JODA’s Algonquin House features a red cedar stair screen and wide plank white oak floors. The framed work on the right is by artist MJ Levy-Dickson. Photo by Greta Rybus.
What was your first memorable art purchase?
A print of Dürer's 'Young Hare', purchased at the Fort Greene flea market. It’s now hanging in my son’s room.
Describe one of your most prized works of art.
My husband commissioned our friend Carly Wilhelm [pictured below] to make a large painting for our house, as a gift to me. We had this wall in mind when we asked her to create the work. As it happened, Carly and her partner ended up staying at our house when we were out of town last summer, so she created the painting while in the space. We’ve since heard that having to finish the painting before they left was quite stressful, but we absolutely love the painting; it’s perfect for the space.
A view of the Carly Wilhelm commission that anchors Jocie’s dining space. Photo by Greta Rybus.
Tell us about some artists whose work should be on our radar.
Elizabeth Atterbury - local Portland artist, I’m especially enamored by her ceramic wall sculptures.
Lily Stockman - working out of LA and Joshua Tree, her gorgeous works are reminiscent of Indian Tantra paintings.
Danielle McKinney - another LA artist - her use of color and portraits are particularly captivating. Some friends recently saw her show in LA and shared her work with me.
Jocie and her son on the porch at Rock Camp. Photos by Greta Rybus.
JODA has a variety of projects in the works - including a hotel and thermal spa in Rangeley and a new-build lake house Michigan - so keep an eye on Jocie’s Instagram for more of her designs and inspiration.
All photography by Greta Rybus
