Jammie 2018

“Jammie” is an image made with paint, maybe mixed media, by Jammie Holmes. Looking at this painting, I feel a connection with the artist, you know? I can see him building layer upon layer, figuring things out as he goes. There’s a real push-and-pull happening. He’s using these beautiful grays and yellows, and then BAM! There's a stroke of bold black, like he’s saying, "I’m here, too!" The image itself looks like a person, but it could be anything really. I like how Holmes scrawls the word "work" on the canvas, almost like a mantra. It makes me wonder what he’s working through. I also see other names and words – maybe fragments of thoughts or conversations? It reminds me that making art is work. It is a physical thing, where the artist tries to capture something elusive. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time, inspiring new ideas and directions. And ultimately painting lets us express ourselves in ways that words can't always capture. It lets us share our messy, complicated, beautiful experiences with the world.