Marcus Jake is a full-time abstract and mixed-media artist born in the UK. He is currently making his home in Victoria, BC, Canada. Jake was educated in Bristol, UK, where he studied and received his BA (Hons) Degree in Fine Art and Certificate in Higher Education in Photography.
What initially appear to be two very separate and distinct bodies of work (abstract painting and mixed-media photography) are in fact profoundly connected and interlinked, both inspiring people to connect with that part of themselves that makes them feel truly alive and magnetically present. It is an art that celebrates bravery and courage, the path we walk to get to where we are, portraying our beautiful individuality, deep connected humanity and energetic bond to life. Immeasurably entwined into the narrative is our human connection, our connection to all other life and our expansive connection to the planet we live on. Jake has exhibited internationally including in London, Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Barcelona, Rome, Paris, Vancouver, BC, Victoria, BC, receiving a number of awards along the way.
Self-taught or art school?
A bit of both, I got my degree in Fine Art in my early 40s and had been completely self-taught before this. Doing the degree helped me put the pieces together of things I had already learned and gave me a clear indication of the things I still needed to learn.
How would you describe your style?
You know, I play around in many different areas of styles, but I think my work, whether it be mixed media pieces or abstracts is instantly recognisable as mine. I deal with big subjects so this is reflective in the style, it’s often full of raw emotion and feeling. I love the texture, I love layers, and I love things that are hidden within the artwork. My style? Someone whose opinion I really trust once told me that my work is, edgy, whilst beautiful, this is often at the back of my mind whilst I am creating.
Is narrative important within your work?
Yes, very. It is the backbone and the connecting piece between all of my work. I always have a number of different projects on the go, these different projects are based on their own narrative, so for example the ongoing Mixed Media project titled, ‘Points in Time’, has a very connective narrative that runs through all of the pieces that are created, it’s referenced in the creation and planning behind each piece. I find it fascinating when I talk to people at exhibitions and they see the narrative straight away, sometimes even being able to explain things to me that I have missed!
Who are your favourite artists and why?
I have so many artists that I admire, respect and am in awe of. If I had to name my top 5, right now it would be, Rothko, Anselm Keifer, Sally Mann, Gerhard Richter & Lillian Bassman. All of them because they are pioneers in their field, they have all created such solid bodies of the most amazing work, full of narrative. The emotion that is contained in their pieces is beyond measure.
If you could own one work of art what would it be?
There are so many lol! I think if I could choose any artwork, It would have to be one of the large Mark Rothko pieces, maybe No.7, I think it’s 8ft high! I’d also expect to get a new house with that so I could display it properly! There is something about Rothko, his work moves me to tears when I am in presence of it, I can’t explain it, but the energy that is contained in his work is something else.
What or who inspires your art?
I sometimes feel like everything inspires me, from the glorious to the hateful to the mundane. I’m not the kind of person that sits waiting for inspiration to happen. I struggle more with an overload of inspiration. Really though, people’s stories inspire me, particularly through heart connected, vulnerable communication, it’s in these moments we see how alike we are. I think humans are great storytellers and this is my way of telling both mine and other people’s stories.
Are there any recurring themes within your work and can you tell us about them?
So I have a value system by which I try and live my life, I try and keep it simple and I have five words that are my values, these 5 words then get broken down into many subheadings. I believe it is these core values (particularly within the subheadings) that have become an integral part of the themes that re-occur in my work. The five words are; Equality, Integrity, Harmony, Presence and Playfulness.
Where’s your studio and what’s it like?
My current studio is probably the largest I’ve ever had, it was formerly the double garage of the house I live in. I’ve recently finished re-designing it (on paper) and will be doing the conversion in parts over the next 12 months. It’s a great space, I feel very grateful for having it, it has certainly allowed me to expand the work I do. The dog also likes it in here 🙂
Do you have any studio rituals?
I spend a bit of time in the morning choosing the music I’m going to listen to throughout the day. Music is so impactful and changes how I work, so this feels like a really important part of the day. And coffee, nothing happens without coffee.
What are you working on currently?
I’ve just been developing a new way of doing image transfers and alongside this, I’ve been experimenting with new ways of creating mixed media pieces as a whole, so I’m currently working on combining them all together, it’s a work in progress for sure. I am also about to start working on some encaustic pieces, I prefer to do this outside, so it’s been a bit weather dependent.
Where can we buy your art?
Talk to Lisa! Or through my website and I also have a Saatchi Account.
What are your ambitions?
I’m feeling ready to do some big solo shows.
For more info visit:
www.instagram.com/marcusjakeart
You can also view Marcus Jake’s work at FLUX Exhibition – Get your FREE Tickets here
