Jennifer Jackson
Concept Statement
I have painted a series of 14 miniature images (10x 10cm) that show my response to the Venerable Dr. Juewei’s presentation of her research document. The images are watercolour and mixed media on paper referring to moments that I connected with when reading the text. The sequence is chronological and represents moments in the journey, which are part of the concept as well as a recurring theme of mine.
The images each are titled from the text providing a form of narrative. The paintings are not illustrations of the text but more visual responses to the document. I have included images and compositions that are both Eastern and Western, as is my practice. Mixed media items and images include eggs, stamps, collected papers and gold leaf. The paintings are semi abstract in muted monochromatic tones similar to work in the exhibition “Unfolding” at the Nan Tien Temple.
The format of 2 groups of seven images creates a long format and is meant to recall the unrolling of a scroll. Each tiny image is a moment to re ect upon before moving on. They are quiet images yet have an energy and sense of celebration within them. The total length of each panel will be approximately 1.25 meters. The panels may be hung independently horizontally following each other or one above the other. The paintings are a response to this project in a personal manner. I create the images but invite the viewer to connect with them in their own way.
Jennifer is an abstract artist who works with mixed media. Her art relates to the landscape in abstracted ways. The earth, its history and age are referred to and encompass notions of weathering and cycles. The journeys include memories of landscapes visited and personal symbols of the experience and are often about the local environment of the Illawarra region.
A feature of her work is melding Eastern and Western art practices in relation to depictions of the landscape.
On my journeys she collects objects that can be included in her images. Cross cultural connections are often established though this process linking disparate items and symbols. This gives the artworks personal significance while also allowing the viewer to interpret them in an individual manner.
Jennifer has exhibited widely in Australia and the United States, including the Scarborough Art Show, Sydney Royal, Wollongong City Gallery, and the Sketchbook Project in Brooklyn, USA. She has won numerous prizes including the Paddington Art Prize Finalist 2010, James Kiri Biennial Watercolor Prize 2010, Meroogal Women’s Art Prize, and the Alvaro Painting Prize 2008. She holds a Master of Creative Arts from the University of Wollongong and has 25 years of teaching experience in art and design.
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