Newsletter #1

Hello!

Thank you for supporting me by subscribing to this newsletter. As some of you know I have a complex relationship with social media. So, I thought a newsletter would be a good method to update you with my progress for my newest collection, but also a chance for me to share my thoughts regarding the development of my painting and, well, anything really.

I’ve been thinking about what to include in this initial newsletter for a couple of months now and I have so many things that I want to share with you, but I thought a good starting point would be to explain why my painting style has changed radically since last year.  

I know most of you have been following my work for several years now and you will know that I painted in a relatively realist tradition. The truth is, towards the finalisation of my exhibition in 2023, I felt very frustrated with my creative process. I felt like I couldn’t express what I wanted to.

I was obsessed with emulating traditional painting techniques, in the hope that I could create a painting of substance. I have always been inspired by the technical mastery of the Old Masters, but I also felt deeply unqualified as an artist. I really did not enjoy my tertiary education; the lack of knowledge of artist’s materials, art history, creativity and technical ability very much diminished my confidence. To combat a disappointing university experience, I decided to do copies of Old Master paintings, using historically accurate materials and methods when possible. For instance, sourcing lead-tin yellow, a toxic, but beautiful colour that Vermeer used in his 1665 painting A Lady Writing. It was through this process that I began to understand painting. It also imbued me with an understanding of materials, I felt I could view paintings and understand how they were painted. I absolutely loved doing this, it was so rewarding.

However, I fell into a trap. I felt like I was trapped trying to emulate the Old Masters at the expense of my own personal expression. It wasn’t until after the exhibition that I realised that I didn’t want to paint like this anymore. I decided to go back to square one and try to search for my own voice. This has involved a complete change in my technique, approach, and subjects. Truthfully, this experience has been very difficult at times; it is stressful and frustrating not knowing if this is the right direction. However, I must say that I feel so much more satisfied creatively, I really feel like I am on the way to expressing feelings I have about the world around me.

So, in some ways this feels like the beginning, and I’m hoping that these newsletters will give me a chance to explain my motivations and thoughts as well as providing you insight into my process.

Thanks for reading,

Jackson