Studies painted on advertising posters

 

   These images stood at  the entry to the first solo show, opening on Saint Valentine’s Day earlier this year.

                                                                                                                                                              

Is the  image on the left an old man of the mountains, or a spirit fed by a bird? –  just as a youthful cukoo will sit in another’s nest and take sustenance from the mother, so to this creature.

It was my comment and response to the banking crash, before the public bailouts were announced.  This phenomenon is not so new…

The image on the right is the twin. This one shows Jacob’s ladder, the spirit of humanity which seeks to reach the ground of the world.  Here a bee is involved. 

The egotistical twin (‘Bilderberger’) is balanced by ‘Jacob’ who seeks also what the world wants.

Magnificent Junkyard Dogs

These are two of my latest paintings.

The one on the left, called ‘Zombezi’ represents a primal spirit. The tendancy in us to sleep through life, not wanting to wake out of worry for the difficulties.  She is a golden and lovely figure, but accompanied by some rather more unlovely spirits…   The birds try to defend her from their unhelpful influence and perhaps try to tell her that they are part of her, and cannot be dispelled in sleep.

The character on the right is a st. Christopher.  He has only a small ‘s’ because he is a modern saint, just one of us, each one of us, struggling along.  On his shoulders he carries an infant or someone else who cannot cross this river without help.   This little one has managed to sink some teeth in and is a little bit vampiric now. Not maliciously, just out of habit.

Perhaps Christopher is to blame, he should have looked after himself more before he picked up the other one.    On the other hand, his act of love has helped the other fellow even though it gives Christopher extra challenges.

My first Review

Jonathan displayed work mainly completed the previous year while at Studio Upstairs.

The plays covered a variety of themes:

- A Series of portraits in charcoal, based on the metamorphosis of a central face (a representative of the human being) into portrayals of that physiognomy taken hold of by differing forces that disturb the original balance.

- Representations of a mythological figure, a biblical figure, and original interpretations of modern events using varied techniques and media.

- Soulscapes inspired by Jonathan’s own states, often depicting an inner journey and transformation.

Jonathan is a gifted artist with a conventional training in Art. In his thirties he spent a further 3 years studying and practising an approach to the nature and healing qualities of colour and form. he mastered various techniques which have enabled him to depict forces and powers, of life, soul, and spirit with creative flair and thus transform by embodying them.

Though he painted and drew much in this period he didn’t yet feel he had found his own unique direction and artistic identity sufficiently to display or sell much of his work.

This changed dramatically however through a period in which certain personal circumstances in his life ‘took the ground from under his feet’ . he came face to face inwardly with powers which he felt could ‘topple’ him. Little did he then imagine that these inner encounters would provide the impulse for the breakthrough to his own creative direction.

Jonathan experienced what happens when the veil of unconsciousness, – which normally protects us inwardly from destabilising forces, tears or is thrust open, without being prepared for it. As well as coping with the turmoil, mental agony, and soul searching which arose, he was able to observe with sufficient objectivity at times what was happening within. Thus he began to externalise and depict the forces and their effects which he had encountered inwardly. This proved to be an upbuilding healing experience for him as well as a source of deep artistic inspiration.

During the 8 weeks of the exhibition many people viewed the paintings and some gathered over coffee with Jonathan to hear how various plays had arisen. Their comments provided the starting point for conversations which were most meaningful. One lady, quite artistic herself, said ‘Jonathan has spared me/us the painful task of depicting my/our own painful inner experiences’. Others described how they had, through the paintings, come to better understand what surrounds elements of confusion, fear and torment of soul which as a result of their nature are often kept ‘bottled up’.

Altogether the quality of listening and sharing which arose within groups hearing the journey of the picture and its painter, often amongst ‘strangers’, was moving, heartening and ‘connecting’.
The whole event proved to be an immensly successful meeting of artistic and social impulses, inspired through Jonathan: his special way of being, his courage and willingness to share so openly what lives in himself and his paintings/art. Thank you Jonathan.
E. Roberts end May 10

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