Jacqueline May

Finality
oil, composite metal leaf on panel

The artwork is from a specific series that was created as part of a project in which a group of artists and writers volunteered at Christopher House, a wonderful, caring hospice in Austin, Texas for people with terminal illnesses. The artists involved, including myself, then created artworks reflecting that experience. For this reason, the series focuses on issues surrounding life and death.

In regard to my artwork in general – While I do not copy any particular style, it seems fitting to acknowledge that I have been inspired by other artists’ works, most notably within the movements of Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, and Dada. The pattern and rhythm which are so important to my work have an impact on our minds which has a unique capacity to transport us into altered states of consciousness, and form part of many artistic movements. And I could never paint without music! I try to incorporate multiple levels of meaning that unfold slowly over time, avoiding direct and unambiguous statements – to me it wouldn’t be art if it were just the direct transmittal of a concept..

The viewer is encouraged to process the visual information in an intuitive effort which leads to deeper rewards. Science plays an important role in my work, as a personal interest. The visual language of science, expressed in prosaic diagrams and illustrations, calls out for a visual poetry that embodies its potential and spirit. Spiritual ideas are something that I have been working through in my art for a while, trying to make sense of this other type of truth. And personal experience is always a part of my work, although of necessity the viewer will bring a different set of experiences as a lens through which to view it. People are welcome to use it as they will, to make sense of it in light of their own lives.

© Jacqueline May