N'afọ 1949, Jess banyere n'ụlọ akwụkwọ California School of the Arts (nke bụzi San Francisco Art Institute) ma, mgbe ya na ndị ezinụlọ ya kewasịrị, ọ malitere ịkpọ onwe ya "Jess". Na ngwụcha afọ 1940, Jess zutere Robert Duncan na onye na-ese ihe osise Lyn Brockway, wee bụrụ onye na-arụsi ọrụ ike n'ọtụtụ ihe ngosi, nzukọ uri, na mbọ okike site na gburugburu ha. O zutere Robert Duncan na 1951 wee bido mmekọrịta ya na onye na-ede uri nke dịgidere ruo mgbe Duncan nwụrụ na 1988. N'afọ 1952, na San Francisco, Jess, ya na Duncan na onye na-ese ihe nkiri Harry Jacobus, mepere King Ubu Gallery, nke ghọrọ ebe dị mkpa maka nka ndị ọzọ ma bụrụkwa nke dị otú ahụ mgbe, n'afọ 1954, onye na-ede uri Jack Spicer meghere oghere ahụ dị ka Six Gallery
Ọ dị mma.