Artist of the Month August 2012

Jivan Lee

Taos & Santa Fe, New Mexico

Jivan Lee is an emerging artist based in Taos, NM. He grew up in Woodstock, NY, and studied painting at Bard College with contemporary New York City painters Joseph Santore and Laura Battle. In the last ten years Jivan has painted throughout the US and in Italy, Ghana, and Mexico, and shown his work nationally in solo and group shows. He is the recipient of awards and fellowships for his art and environmental pursuits, including a grant for a thematic art project on Northern New Mexico agriculture. Plein Air Magazine calls him “a terrific plein air painter.” Jivan is represented by Joe Wade Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM; Galerie Kornye West in Fort Worth, TX; and, Jack Leustig Imaging in Arroyo Seco, NM. In addition to painting as much as time allows, he teaches at the University of New Mexico and directs the Project for Art and the Environment.

How and when did you start creating art?

I started as a youngster sitting on the couch next to my mom as she painted. I’d try to draw pictures like the ones she painted and I’d get all frustrated, but I still loved trying and loved watching. That was the beginning of art in my life. More specifically, painting started in 2001 at Bard College. Some great painters who also are great teachers, Laura Battle and Joe Santore, inspired me. It took about four months to really paint something that I liked and felt “alive,” and at times I thought I’d just quit. I’m glad I didn’t! After that first piece that clicked for me, I was hooked.

What media and genres do you work in?

What media and genres do you work in? I work in walnut oil paints and paint all sorts of things – the standard fare: landscapes, figurative work, still lives. I’d say that the unifying theme more than what I paint is how I paint it: I aim for a degree of representational realism that develops out of abstract, almost sculpted surfaces of paint. My work usually is covered in ¼” – ½” of paint; up close everything seems akin to an abstract painting, at distance the images come together.

Who or what are your influences?

The person, place, or moment I’m painting is my main influence – it drives everything else. Lately this has especially been Taos, NM. Soon (as in on Wednesday the 1st) I’ll be moving to Santa Fe and I’m excited to see how that affects my subjects and approach. Stylistically speaking, Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Sisley; Matisse, Kandinsky, Kirchner; Russian painters like Fedor Zakharov, Timkov, Roerich. More recently, Lucian Freud, Gerhard Richter, Quang Ho, Louisa McElwain, Jack Smith, and my teacher Joseph Santore. Also, author and artist Pierre Delattre, my partner Klara Wetmore (who is a fantastic artist with an exceptional eye).

"Standing Tree." Klara and I were relaxing on morning in our backyard outside of Taos – it is an amazing location on a southwest-facing 10-acre field (at 8,200 feet!), having a morning picnic-kinda moment. In the morning sunlight crawls along the field and ratchets up in intensity; by 10 it shines on the tree as you can see in the painting. We were chatting about our move to Santa Fe, which because of our affinity for Taos is both exciting and bittersweet, and I saw the tree standing there. I felt the pull to paint it, so I did a quick sketch and then I came back for the following week or so. I just wanted to sculpt the tree’s trunk in that full light and dive into the blue-green shadows that were cast on the field in the background.

Describe your creative process?

Here is an excerpt from my artist statement: “When painting I'm brought back to simplicities, back to my senses, and in a way, back to life. To surrender scripted plans and just listen and look, not knowing what will come, is a trust-fall of sorts and an act of devotion. On the good days this practice dissolves the excess in my psyche and leaves me clearer in mind and heart. It’s something I believe can translate to others through a finished work. In a time filled with so much that can leave us far from the subtle pulse of a day, acts of simplification – for me, painting – seem like time well spent. My hope is that by listening when something luminous calls, by partaking in the alchemy of painting and surrendering to an unknowable outcome, something inspiring will develop on the canvas and eventually touch someone else's heart.” In terms of how I actually paint: I begin with quick sketches in oil. Usually I use dioxazine purple or a permanent alizarin or cadmium red hue as the base. Then I switch to my walnut oil paints and just start laying on color in big areas. That’s pretty much it. From there my goal is just to be clear enough to perceive the subtleties of light and color and feeling – which is where the real challenge comes in. To just let go of what I think I know – no matter how many times I’ve painted a certain sky or location – and see it anew for what it isn’t on this day at this time. If I get lazy, I usually lose the positive tension in a piece. My paintings range in size from 4” x 6” up to 48” x 78”. Being an artist who lives to paint this world and its natural environment leaves me with profound gratitude towards all that inspires my work. As such, in addition to choosing the highest quality materials, wherever possible I also prefer those that are socially responsible and environmentally friendly. Examples include walnut oil paints made with renewable energy by a family-owned Oregonian company and painting surfaces made of Forestry Stewardship Council-certified wood materials.

What are you working on currently?

A series of paintings on Northern New Mexico’s eclectic and charming churches. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and each have their own personality and story to tell. So far I’ve finished three pieces: a 24” x 36”, a 20” x 50”, and a 18” x 24”. I’ve got some more churches in mind and probably will end up with 10 more pieces if all goes as I’m hoping. I’m also developing an idea for some large-scale interior and figurative works with a lot of paint. They will also be a series of sorts, though I haven’t really settled on how I see that taking shape.

What are your near/long term goals as an artist?

Always to stay true to the pull from within. Without this, my art loses its vitality. I’d also like to make a good living making art and I plan to be in it for the long haul. So there is a constant balance that I aim to maintain. For me good painting comes from good living, which in my life means having a place to grow food and stay close to the land, being solid and true in my relationships, and helping where my skills are needed. At this point I’m entering into a stage of a bit more expansion on the business side of art. So far I’ve been incubating more than reaching out, and lately there has been a shift to a bit more outreach. I’ve been looking at galleries in Denver, Houston, New York City, and a few other locations to see about securing more representation. And I’ve been publicizing my work with magazines, in exhibits, and so forth. I’ve been lucky, too – which I gladly accept! -- in that some great venues have discovered my work and invited it to exhibits. I’d like to follow up on recent shows – one in Denver at the Center for Visual Art at Metropolitan State University of Denver and another at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art in Alabama – by exhibiting my series-work on time’s passing at a single location. It’s an indication of where I’d like to explore more and I’m eager to share the results so far.

Where can people view/purchase your work (gallery, website, etc)?

My work is available through Joe Wade Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM (www.joewadefineart.com ); through Galerie Kornye West in Fort Worth, TX (www.kornyewest.com ); and through Jack Leustig Imaging in Arroyo Seco, NM (www.jliprints.com). I can also be reached directly at www.jivanlee.com  should anyone interested in my work have questions!