Artist's Statement - Jay Rolfe
I am passionate about freedom and creativity in my life and especially in my art. With my melancholic passion and intellectual angst, I explore contemporary issues such as the nature of existence, disorientation, alienation, loneliness, unrequited love, complex relationships, conflict, unrest, war, greed, unfulfilled dreams, yearning, and boredom. As I think deeply about these contemporary issues, I realize each is a manifestation of the age-old issue of how we relate to each other, to nature, and to God.
My art presents an aspect of beauty inherent in every situation. For me, the beauty of a subject is its essence. I use color, form, 3-D, and large size to show the essence of my subject. I try to present a beautiful feeling with my art that will transcend the issue.
I take heart from Henri Matisse, who in the 1930's and 1940's when there was social disintegration, violence, and destruction all around, responded with what his biographer Hilary Spurling calls "an affirmation of everything that made life worth living." In the face of serious contemporary issues, I seek to do the same while offering hope and vision for the 21st century.
Many people feel pain, depression, or disorientation in contemporary living. The art world today is crowded with artists depicting the despair, decay, debris, destruction, and even the supposed futility, of modern life.
My artistic vision is that humans can, and often do, transcend the problems of contemporary life. My work is meant to show beauty, vision, and hope for the 21st Century that uplifts the spirit and nourishes the soul.
My signature style is creating huge 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings on a 3-D stretcher framework that I build in the shape of the subject. My paintings are often larger than life. My intent is to create beauty and emotion, either conscious or subconscious, with my art.
Like legendary artists Paul Cezanne, Wassily Kandinsky, Pierre Bonnard, and Henri Matisse who gave up law to pursue art, I sacked law to pursue art. In an article about me and my art, the Philadelphia Inquirer described me as a “late-blooming artist [who] went outside the box.” That's quite a compliment. And metaphorically, that is where I like being.
And like famous artists Paul Gauguin, Maurice Utrillo, Henri Rousseau, and Horace Pippin, I am a self-taught artist. They didn't go to art school and didn't have prestigious apprenticeships. These self-taught artists produced paintings that were quite creative, distinctive, and fresh. Like me, they all painted "outside the box."
For the process of how I create these large Pop Art 3-D paintings, please click here.
I enjoy the experience and inspiration of beautiful places and take photos to capture nature's beauty.