Smuggler 2020

James Jean conjured this enchanting forest scene, “Smuggler,” with who-knows-what—probably ink and acrylic, the way he blends detail with dreamy washes of colour. Looking at this, I imagine Jean totally immersed, layering colors and characters until this whole world appears. The pastel palette feels otherworldly, right? A pink tree trunk here, a blue figure there… like a fairy tale dipped in acid. You've got these smooth surfaces and then these moments of hyper-detail, like on the costumes. And what is that, a lamb being ridden? I bet he was thinking about everything from Art Nouveau to Japanese prints, twisting them together into something brand new. It makes me think about how artists are always borrowing and remixing, pulling old ideas into the present. And that feeling? That's why I paint—that space of invention, of making something totally unexpected.