We recently connected with Jessie Macaw and have shared our conversation below.

Jessie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I had always been a doodler who loved art but it wasn’t until I discovered intuitive painting through Flora Bowley’s Brave Intuitive Painting course 10 years ago that my paintings started heading in a direction that felt authentically me. The addition of mixed media in recent years has been a game changer; adding the depth, interest and surprise I desire in my work.

Knowing what I know now, I would definitely have invested in my art and myself sooner. As it was, it took a redundancy to give me a nudge in the right direction and another 10 years before I truely showed the world who I was and what I was creating. Sometimes the hardest thing you can do is to believe in yourself so I have adopted a ‘fake it until you make it’ mentality.

My career in graphic design became an essential skill in my painting. My work relies a lot on illustration, colour and composition so understanding those basic principals are important. But the real depth and interest in my paintings comes from the many layers and marks I build underneath. Most of these end up covered, or partially covered, but all play an essential role in the final painting.

For me the biggest obstacle has been exposure. I am an introvert by nature so I have to work really hard to be seen. It’s only really in the last year or so that a lot of my friends have discovered I paint. But, thanks to a few galleries and encouragement from friends and family, my confidence is growing. I find the more I put myself out there, the more I experiment and the more I experiment the more I learn.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Jessie Macaw, a born and bred local from Tairua. Growing up as a kid in the Coromandel (New Zealand) creativity and imagination fuelled my days, later leading me to a career in graphic design and eventually art.

Painting for me emulates life; you might not know exactly where it’s heading but building layers and depth helps to build a rich foundation.

Colour, texture and mark making are constant themes in my work. As an intuitive painter I let the painting direct me as opposed to forcing preconceived notions of what it should be. It’s about the process and the art is a dialogue between myself and the work. The layers are created to reflect current moments in time; emotions, thoughts and ideas. It’s not unusual for a painting to completely change direction if I’m suddenly inspired by a colour combination or a certain mark or section of the piece. Sometimes when I feel completely stuck on a piece I will intentionally make some bold moves to spark some new inspiration. It’s about covering up parts I like to make room for parts I love.

Quirky, different, and unusual are all words that are often used to describe my work. I have a playful approach to painting and I hope that’s what people see when they look at my pieces. I am a storyteller at heart so it’s not unusual for characters, animals and creatures to feature in my work. Cats, Dogs, Bunnies, Fish and Birds feature a lot.

I like my paintings to contain lots of little surprises, so that every time you view them you notice something different; whether it’s a mark, a texture or the way the light plays on the layers. I like to project the idea of humour and absolutely love when people have a laugh when viewing it because it means they understand what my work is about.

What sets me apart is that I am not influenced by what is considered ‘saleable’ or commercial. I paint what I enjoy painting and thankfully others can see that joy.

I am most proud of my current involvement with the Mercury Bay Art Escape which holds annual open studios in the first two weekends of March. This is a great opportunity to experience the diverse range of artists our region has and is an excellent way to meet the artists and chat about their process and passions.

Above all, with whatever I create, I seek to impart a sense of vitality and joy, a celebration of colour and quirks.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson I have had to unlearn is that being an artist is not a career. So many times during my younger years I heard stories of artists barely making ends meet and how art is just a hobby. But these days, I think society has changed and creativity and creative careers are now more celebrated and accepted.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think the best thing that society can do to support arts and creatives is to buy artwork from living artists and even if they can’t afford it right now, just showing up helps so much. Show up for the exhibitions, like and share artists’ posts, and tell your artist friends what you love about their work. A little love goes a long way!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://doodlingpainter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_doodlingpainter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Doodling-Painter/