Jean Hearst, Painter

The action of painting itself—the visceral pleasure it brings and the unloading of the visuals that are in my mind is my goal. This involves continuous problem solving. I agree with Magritte who said, “The feeling that I have with my paintings cannot be put into words.”

My subject matter is quite varied, but most often I find a fantasy or surreal picture emerging. The sub-conscious process involved intrigues me as I develop a painting idea. A seed gradually unfolds to what it will ultimately become as with the organic shapes I often paint, This process is a reflection of the way I feel when I look at the textures I create at the beginning of a painting. I seldom use more than three primaries and white. Creating a large variety of colors that relate to each other this way. By putting down many layers of color and subsequently washing them out I create my own ”seed”. As the layers build up and the seed matures, I work towards more definite images. I work back into the discovered shapes hiding below each surface with stronger watercolor; eventually articulating these shapes with acrylic. My final images are a result of research, experimentation and invention. The work involves releasing pictures from my mind, and letting them develop without initial judgment.

I enjoy experiencing the germ of an idea unfolding—knowing the beginning, and being excited about the unpredictability of the ending. I find it intriguing to watch seeds from present work produce the future work.

I was born in New Jersey, and after living many places in the east I arrived in California. I received a B.S. in Elementary Education at Arcadia University, Aside from several classes taken after graduation, I was mainly self-taught in the art world. For 17 years I worked as a silk screener, first on paper and then on fabric. I then began working with other mediums on paper, using watercolor and acrylic primarily.