Painting for me emulates life; you might not know exactly where it’s heading but building layers and depth helps to build a rich foundation.
I’m Jessie Macaw, a born and bred local from Tairua. Growing up as a kid in the Coromandel, with creativity and imagination fuelling my days, later led me to a career in graphic design.
I had always been a doodler who loved art, but it wasn’t until I discovered intuitive painting 10 years ago that my paintings started heading in a direction that felt authentically me. The addition of mixed media in recent years has been a game changer, providing the depth, interest and surprise I desire in my work.
A few years ago, while my daughter was a baby, I completed the 100-day project as a way for me to make more time for art and turn it into a daily ritual. For me it was a great way to focus on finishing pieces rather than just creating never-ending layers. It also confirmed my love of animal and character art.
Colour, texture and mark making are constant themes in my work. As an intuitive painter, I let the painting direct me as opposed to forcing preconceived notions of what it should be. It’s about the process and the art is a dialogue between me and the work. The layers are created to reflect current moments in time – emotions, thoughts and ideas. It’s not unusual for a painting to completely change direction if I’m suddenly inspired by a colour combination or a certain mark or section of the piece. Sometimes when I feel completely stuck on a piece I will intentionally make some bold moves to spark some new inspiration. It’s about covering up parts I like to make room for parts I love.
Quirky, different, and unusual are all words that are often used to describe my work. I have a playful approach to painting and I hope that’s what people see when they look at my pieces. I am a storyteller at heart so it’s not unusual for characters, animals and creatures to feature in my work. Fish, cats, dogs, bunnies and birds feature a lot.
Above all, with whatever I create, I seek to impart a sense of vitality and joy, a celebration of colour and quirks.
Selected pieces of my art are available at Whitianga Art Gallery or you can contact me to view privately.
You can check more of my work on my website and Instagram profile.
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