My new Studio Tour video is here! If you haven’t had the chance to see it yet, you can watch it here. The supply list for the video is also available, which takes you through the tools and materials I use daily in my studio. My other art videos can be found on my YouTube channel.
Such Is Life
Who I Listen To, 19x24
The painting series, Such Is Life, I’ll be showing at Columbia City Gallery this April comes from musings that have been with me for quite a while. Unlike my Personal Prayer Flag or Palimpsest series, though, the concept is more complex.
I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a human being on this planet, specifically when it comes to relating to others. As I was painting I kept in mind the fact that we tend to connect with people similar to ourselves, and far too often implicitly fear those who are different.
This past year or so I’ve been thinking more about race. A friend of mine had a horrible experience which, I believe, was a result of the color of her skin. I began thinking, talking, and reading more about race, as well as considering my own white privilege. I’m not going to create a meaningful relationship with someone of a different race if I’m in denial of how my racial privilege affects my life and theirs.
When I did my Gender Personal project (www.genderpersonal.org), I spent over a year exploring the concept of gender identity, and an important way for me to process these new ideas has been through my art. I believe that the personal expression of art allows us to tinker with, delve into, and form connections with new concepts.
Getting Along with Strangers, 30”x30”
Another influence on this latest series has been the book Lost Connections by Johann Hari. Johann writes about the huge number of people worldwide, who suffer from anxiety and depression.
After years of research and traveling the globe, he has come to believe that this is related to our disconnection from each other, from ourselves, from meaningful work, and from the natural world. His work is all about rediscovering and rekindling those connections. No matter who we are or what our life experiences have been, we crave and need these connections to find meaning in our lives.
I’m also reading The Book of Joy by Douglas Abrams, which is a presentation of discussions between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. These wise men also maintain that it is connection with others that underlies a deep feeling of joy in our lives, especially when this includes compassion and support.
Such Is Life will be at Columbia City Gallery from April 3rd through May 12th, and I invite you to come by and see it. The opening reception is Saturday April 6th, 5:00 – 7:00.
Time Enough , 24x30
Here’s a list of books which inspired me as I was creating this series:
Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – And the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari
The Book of Joy, a presentation of discussions between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, written by Douglas Abrams
Things that Make White People Uncomfortable by Michael Bennett
What Does it Mean to Be White: Developing White Racial Literacy by Robin DiAngelo
Different Ways of Seeing It All, 30x30
Not the Same, 24”x24”
For more info about the Such Is Life exhibit and Columbia City Gallery visit Jacqui’s exhibits page.
To view the Such Is Life series as a whole, click here.
“If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk with others.”
Presentation: Decision Making in the Painting Process
Thursday September 27 2018, 6:30 – 8:30
I’ll be giving a presentation called ‘Decision Making in the Painting Process’ at artEAST on September 27th.
The talk will focus on questions artists ask ourselves as we paint, for example:
How do I make decisions when I paint? How do I know what to keep and what to change? What do I base my decisions on? What can I do when I get stuck?
I will be discussing this topic using a slideshow of my paintings in process. You’ll have a chance to see paintings from start to finish as I describe how and why I made the choices I did. I’ll also bring finished and unfinished paintings to look at and consider as a group.
There will be time at the end of the program to look at some of your paintings. Bring one of your favorite stuck paintings for the group to consider and discuss. We’ll use a lottery to choose whose paintings we’ll look at.
**This Salon is open to Members and Non-Members of artEAST. Bring a friend!
**Bring a painting you’d like to look at with the group to get ideas for moving it forward.
**People who attend will receive a $25 off coupon for an initial 1 ½ hour Creativity Coaching session with Jacqui (regular price is $135) or $15 off a one hour Creativity Coaching session.
Date: Thursday September 27, 6:30 – 8:30
Location: artEAST (95 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027)
Fee: artEAST members – free; Non-members $10
To Register: to register for the Salon, click here.
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Here is the painting Decorating the Ordinary, start to finish:
Decorating the Ordinary – Step 1: Getting Started
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Decorating the Ordinary – Completed Painting
Creating Adhesive Foam Stamps
With the help of my son Finnbar, I just made a video about how to make stamps using adhesive-backed foam on blocks of wood.
This is a part of a series of videos I’ll be doing on expressive art techniques. It’s the second stamping video I’ve done, and there are more to come. Be sure to watch for the bunny fangs.
You can order supplies for creating adhesive stamps from Michael’s Art & Craft Supply. You'll need Sticky-Back Foam Sheets and Small Wood Cubes.
Creating a Carved Stamp
Check out the latest post to my YouTube Channel, where I go through the process of creating a carved stamp. It's the first video in a series to come, where I'll cover topics like stenciling, collage, monoprinting, and incorporating text into paintings.
Here is a list of supplies Jacqui used in this video:
Artist & Craftsman Supply: www.artistcraftsman.com
Speedball Linoleum Cutter Blades:
http://www.artistcraftsman.com/speedball-linoleum-cutters.html?___SID=U
Speedball Lino Cutter Handle
http://www.artistcraftsman.com/speedball-linoleum-cutter-handle.html
There are many brands of the material I use to make stamps. The one I tend to use most often is Speedball Speedy Cut Blocks. You might want to try several kinds to see what you like best.
Speedball Speedy Cut Blocks
http://www.artistcraftsman.com/speedball-speedy-cut-blocks.html
Soft Kut Block Printing Material
http://www.artistcraftsman.com/soft-kut-block-printing-material.html?___SID=U
THE NEW PALETTE MAGAZINE ARTICLE: A CREATIVE APPROACH
I just wrote an article, A Creative Approach, that was published in the recent issue, #66, of The New Palette Magazine. The article is about painting a simple subject in a wide variety of ways. This article was inspired by a series of paintings I did in a Skip Lawrence workshop in March 2017.
To subscribe to The New Palette Magazine, click here.
Here are some pictures of paintings from the article:
Chair #11, 14x17
Chair #1, 17x14
Chair #4, 14x17
Chair #6, 17x14
Chair #7, 17x14
And one that wasn’t in the article:
Chair #2, 17x14