Artist Spotlight: Jay Pingree, Art In Motion
In continuing the Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture mission of ensuring inclusive and accessible art for all, this week’s featured artist is Jay Pingree with Art In Motion and the Maplewood Arts Council. Residents can safely enjoy public art while outdoors, maintaining physical distance.
Nine Commuters, Art In Motion
Location: Maplewood Train station Tunnel Underpass
“I work from my own long exposure photographs. I’m fascinated by the distortions and compressed, simplified forms that appear in these blurred images, almost as if painting with the camera. These photos inform my paintings; I use the abstracted images to encourage my own ever-evolving freedom with the paint.”
Closeup of man from Nine Commuters
Jay Pingree was born and raised in Michigan, studied at UNC Asheville, spent ten years in New York, and has been in Maplewood since 2010. Jay is currently represented by the Nordic Art Agency in Malmö, Sweden and The Soden Collection in Shewsbury, England.
Jay has had his first Scandinavian solo show with Nordic Art Agency in 2020. Jay has exhibited internationally since 2007, including ScopeNewYork, Gallery Twentyfour in Berlin and Lana Santorelli in New York.
“Jay carefully captures figures in motion on camera using long exposure, reducing the detail to shapes and bodies in transit. In his studio he recreates the flow and rhythm in acrylic, using rapid abstract brushstrokes and calculated gestures. His paintings are sensitively observed producing minimalistic, authentic images, but the sense of chaos and continuum is ever present,” notes Nordic Art Agency.
Nordic Art Agency Exhibit in Malmö, Sweden for MALMÖ GALLERIVECKA
Jay on working with Art In Motion and the Maplewood Arts Council: “I'll say it was a great experience and I was happy to be one of the nine artists selected. I love that my figures in motion are down there with the actual figures in motion, alongside 7 other wonderful artist's work. It was a real thrill to paint so much larger than I'm used to, using big chunky brushes - looking forward to going big again soon. A massive heartfelt thank you to @maplewoodartscouncil , @neighborladee , @thesomaspirit and the rest of the MAC team, Mayor Vic De Luca, @njtransit , and the many kind, art-minded donors in the great town of @maplewoodtwp / @maplewoodvillagenj that made this possible. I'm so happy to be a part of it.”
Photos taken by Jay Pingree to use in future paintings
Nine Commuters Rough Composition Layout
Nine Commuters First Pass
“I tend to stay with one brush throughout a painting. Probably not what’s taught but it works for me.”
Yellow Jacket 2020
Acrylic on Canvas, 16x20
Three Friends
Couple Walking 2020
Acrylic on Canvas, 8x10
Leg and Foot
Grandpa’s Hand
Boot (Detail)
Large Group 2020
Acrylic on Canvas, 24x36
Jay Pingree Self Portrait
Jay’s Son
Maplewood Village
NYC Subway
“A Highlands sheep, just because. I ran into this matted beauty with her family on the top of a remote mountain above Loch Linnhe. It’s nice to play and explore for a while, painting subjects I don’t normally paint.”
Highland Sheep
Scottish Highlands
Jay often does plein air painting outdoors and in the South Mountain Reservation. He leaves the four walls of his attic studio behind to experience painting and drawing in the landscape — an art form inspired by French Impressionists.
Lake Michigan
Stones
“I love painting the figure but tend to struggle with making landscapes work - it’s a real test for me.
Sweet little spot for painting on Lake Michigan. So nice to just put the brush down and take a dip! Landscapes continue to challenge me but thoroughly enjoying it!”
Jay Pingree with Nine Commuters
Jay will participate in the 17th Edition of the Artist Studio Tour, Covid Edition on Saturday, November 7, 2020. Be prepared to walk up 2 flights of stairs to the attic. Masks required. One person at a time. For more information visit: https://StudioTourSOMA.com/
pingreeart@hotmail.com
Instagram: @pingreeart
https://sixfootsixstudio.com/
Jay Pingree is participating in the Artists Studio Tour, Covid Edition.
Jay Pingree’s Attic Studio
Art In Motion, presented by the Maplewood Arts Council (MAC), is a collection of eight paintings that hang on the tunnel walls of the Maplewood Train Station underpass. MAC received 100 applications solicited from artists living along the Morris and Essex train line. 100% of donations for Art In Motion went to paying the artists for their work, and for the installation and maintenance of the paintings. Major sponsors for Art In Motion: The Able Baker, [words] Bookstore, Pollock Properties Group, and Michael Choy & Shannon Moffet. Big thanks to NJ Transit, and Maplewood’s Department of Public Works.