My daughter, Eliza, bought Jonathan’s work to my attention, and I was immediately taken by richness of his palette, and interest in the human form, a rare subject matter these days. There has been such a move away from figurative painting over the past few years, that it is refreshing to find an artist giving the human figure centre stage. When I walked into Jonathan’s studio behind a bike shop in Stoke Newington, I experienced one of those rare ‘I have struck gold moments’ as an art dealer. His studio is a haven of carefully selected and painstakingly found artist’s materials, media that suit the way he works, and that help him to achieve the intensity of colour required. These natural pigments are mixed with rabbit glue in the traditional way, giving his signature depth of tone. He often uses an ingredient called ‘paint butter’, mixed with the oil, giving it the buttery sheen and texture implied by its name.
Born in Manchester, Jonathan studied Fine Art under the renowned Peter Doig at The Royal College of Art, graduating in 1996. As a result of seeing his artwork, Stella McCartney appointed him her Creative Director, a position he held for many years. Jonathan went on to set up his own art direction agency, all the while continuing to paint. Over the years he has gathered an ever growing following. Three years ago, this enabled him to begin painting as a full-time occupation. Since taking this decision, Jonathan has gone from strength to strength, and his work is now in many major collections worldwide. He has exhibited at The Royal Academy, and is represented by The Serena Morton Gallery in London. He has also, more recently, shown at Anderson & Sheppard on Saville Row. The internationally acclaimed interior designer and art collector, Martin Brudnizki, who has worked on Annabel’s, Soho House, and The Royal Academy, amongst other projects, has picked Jonathan as one of the few artists to watch in 2021, I agree!
Jonathan first showed with us in 2018.