Bio & CV
I am fascinated by the way humans express themselves and I see my paintings as an expression of the human condition. Be it through a facial expression or the juxtaposition of color within a portrait, I try to communicate the emotions and experiences which make us all unique. My process involves the assemblage of abstract shapes of color using palette knives - layer upon layer, stroke after stroke - until eventually the desired form emerges. The faces I paint have detectable features but continually push towards abstraction, and the thick texture of my works make the viewer want to reach out and feel each piece.
From rocks to art
Jack is a palette knife painter based in Germany. Originally from the UK, he moved to Germany in 2012 with his girlfriend (now wife). At this time, he was working as an earthquake researcher in academia. He had always had a passion for art, and after working as a geologist for over a decade he finally decided to pursue this passion and became a full time artist.
In his work he applies thick acrylic paint to large canvases using palette knives. His subject matter varies but he finds himself drawn to portraits the most. Capturing the contours of a face and the reflected light using bold knife strokes allows the expressed emotion to be revealed, whilst also providing a slightly abstract element. Applying multiple layers of acrylic using palette knives allows for the development of texture and depth which are both evident in his work. This method allows Jack to create colourful, vibrant and unique artworks.
Jack lives the Olpe district, Sauerland, with his wife Teresa and two children, Henry and Isla.
CV
- Born in 1982, Chichester, U.K.
- Lives and works in Drolshagen, NRW, Germany.
- Full-time visual artist since 2020.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 - Expressions in Bloom, Spakassen-Galerie, Olpe, GERMANY.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
- Fobikus, Kuemmel Gallery, Iserlohn, GERMANY.
- Open Arts, Art Unlimited Gallery, Bridport, U.K.
- Art Festival, 1000freunde Gallery, Rufffactory, Cologne, GERMANY.
- Blau Machen, BIG Gallery, Dortmund, GERMANY.
- Deconstruction, The Holy Art Gallery, London, U.K.
2022
- Wonder, Capital Culture House Gallery, Madrid, SPAIN.
- Artbase, The Holy Art Gallery, London, U.K.
- Harmony of Art, Blue Blood Gallery, Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC.
2021
- The Dreamers, The Holy Art Gallery, London, U.K.
- In the Wild, King House Gallery, U.K.
- Urban Perspectives, Grace Denker Gallery, Hamburg, GERMANY.
- Shades of Blue, Camelback Gallery, U.S.A.
- Art Walkway, Galleria d'arte di Cael Pipin, Milan, ITALY.
- The Grand Opening at TM Gallery, Brilon, GERMANY.
- Transparency, Capital Culture House Gallery, Madrid, SPAIN.
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
- Art Unlimited Gallery, Bridport, U.K. www.art-unlimited.co.uk
AWARDS
- 2023 - Winner of the Fobikus Fine Art Prize, www.fobikus.de
EDUCATION
- 2016 - PhD in Paleoseismology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
- Self-taught Artist
PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS
- BBK Westfalen (The federal association of fine artists in Westphalia) www.bbk-westfalen.de