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This is the third painting in my series, I Believe in Ghosts, and one of the pieces I've been most keen to paint. I've been vigorously working to cover the canvas and see the the image come to life at it's intended size. Work in progress, "We Hunt the Doe," oil on linen, 42 x 49 inches.  
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I presented a talk at the downtown Napa Main Library on July 12, 2019 about how and why I make my animal portraits. In my talk, I reveal a pivotal moment from my childhood, something unique about how I think and how that shapes my art, and I describe my process in depth. Please enjoy this recording from the opening reception, as well as a write up from the Napa Country Register.
Art in the Library featuring Jamie L. Luoto runs throughout the month of July 2019. Click here for more details.  © Jamie L. Luoto, "Orca & Odie," gouache on paper, 24x20 inches, 2019, commissioned for private collection It is an awesome responsibility and honor to create a portrait of remembrance. I was touched by my collector's love for her two dogs, Odie, who had recently passed away, and Orca. The pair shared a special bond and this piece is a terrific example of how individual identities meet and meld into a unique relationship, a sort of evolved oneness. Ultimately this piece is neither about Orca or Odie, It's about how they related to one another as individuals and the choices and life they shared together. 
CONCEPT & THUMBNAILS & COLOR PALETTE In the case of a commissioned portrait, I begin with research and interviews. I explore the subjects behavior, diet, and home. I think of breeds the same way we think of our own human ancestry, and I consider stories about the subject, as well as how they relate to the members of their family. With this information I imagine who this creature might be and sketch out ideas of how they would appear in a portrait of themselves. For example, Orca and Odie kept checks and balances on one another - Odie's loving and free spirit complimented and challenged Orca, whose herding background informed her practical nature and desire to keep tabs on her family, especially Odie! My approach to color in a commissioned work is both a consideration for my collectors taste, while also taking into consideration the different emotional or symbolic interpretation a color can represent. For example, we decided on a cool jewel tone palette. In Orca & Odie the outdoors, and in particular water, in it's many forms were important to the pair. Within the range of jewel tone colors, I created an abstract geode looking background representative of the cool and fresh alpine feeling of dancing water and twinkling snow. It's important to know my color palette before I begin painting with gouache — unlike acrylic and oil, gouache doesn’t allow one to simply paint over something unliked. The colors I select are part of the story the painting tells and emphasize the animal’s identity.  DRAWING Before I begin painting, I draw a realistic rendering of my subject(s) in graphite. In Orca & Odie I had to consider the relation of their size and builds for accuracy and correct proportions. Orca has more pointed features, but a thick and ample coat of fur, whereas Odie had a boxy, muscular build with very short fur. Once the drawing is finalized, I erase my pencil work until it is just barely visible. The faint pencil marks are essential because I use my line work as a map to block in color, but it is important that I erase enough so that the pencil marks do not show through the paint.
PAINTING I typically begin by blocking out the background color or the outfit, and then I apply a number of translucent washes to the face to develop the structure and depth through gradual shading. As my work progresses, the opacity of my paint increases, my brushes get smaller, and the painted details more exact. I spend hours painting individual hairs and blending until I am satisfied with the detail in my work. How do I know when I’m finished? There is a certain level of precision detail that appears finished to me. I no longer see areas wanting for more — more hairs, speckles, sheen, shading etc… it’s a combination of experience and a gut feeling. My portraits go beyond a likeness of the subject, they celebrate individuality, capture the spirit, and encapsulate stories, all of which bring the piece to life.    I'm eager to present my newly painted animal portraits. Although this series has always focused on individuality, in previous years the works have thematically centered around locations, such as Sonoma County or the Arctic. This year is a little different because I focused on female identity as I developed three portraits of North American animals - Bald Eagle, Mountain Lion, and Black Bear. When human women are depicted as strong it is almost always along with sex appeal - the "strong and sexy” cliche - as if female strength and capability are synonymous with sex appeal. The bald eagle, mountain lion, and black bear are all seen as strong animals, at the top of the food chain. When we encounter one we don’t automatically make assumptions about the animal based on its gender. We appreciate their strength, beauty, power and ferocity. We marvel at the amazingness of both female and male animals, never questioning their abilities, motives, or intelligence based on gender. So why do we tolerate and accept the gender limitations we impose upon ourselves as humans? By anthropomorphizing these female animals, and giving each a unique identity, I seek to question why our society often struggles to present strength, intelligence and beauty without sexual undertones.  ©Jamie L. Luoto, "Bald Eagle," gouache on paper, 14x11 inches, May 2018  ©Jamie L. Luoto, "Mountain Lion," gouache on paper, 14x11 inches, June 2018  ©Jamie L. Luoto, "Black Bear," gouache on paper, 14x11 inches, June 2018  ©Jamie L. Luoto, "Sober Jockey," oil on canvas, 20x20 inches, September 2016 Male dominance in western art, and in particular portraiture, has been a critical element in denying women ownership over our own identity. It also has caused some of the most significant crimes and injustices against women to be ignored, dismissed, or worse glossed over as something entirely different. Sober Jockey confronts this head-on by singling out and reinterpreting Henri Fuseli's, The Nightmare from a female perspective. In doing so it directly confronts issues of violence towards women and the shock, trauma, stress, depression and haunting that so often comes with it. A scene which for so long has been presented and interpreted as a “Nightmare” is now shown to be a reality for the protagonist, as it is of course for so many millions of women.
Sober Jockey will be exhibiting, as part of Art in an Age of Anxiety, at the Arts Guild of Sonoma in Sonoma, California between August 30th through October 1st, 2018. Opening reception Saturday, September 1st, 2018. See Details Here. Art in an Age of Anxiety August 30 - October 1, 2018 *Opening reception Saturday, September 1st 5:00pm-7:30pm Arts Guild of Sonoma 40 E Napa Street Sonoma, CA 95476 707-996-3115 Open Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs 11am-5pm Open Fri & Sat 10am-6pm Closed Tuesdays  (c) Jamie L. Luoto, "Title TBD," gouache on paper, 14x11 inches, July 2018 I'm honored to be included in Persistence, an exhibition at the Museum of Northern California Art celebrating and recognizing women artists. "Persistence" has become a byword for women standing up and I'm passionate about promoting the work of female artists past, present, and future. This was my kind of exhibition.
 Opening Reception for "Persistence" at the Museum of Northern California Art Identity Spectrum |
Two of my paintings will be shown in Chico, California at the Museum of Northern California Art, as part of an all women exhibition, highlighting works relating to Persistence.
Persistence
May 31 -July 15
Museum of Northern California Art
900 Esplanade
Chico, California
Museum Hours:
Thurs-Sunday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Persistence
May 31 -July 15
Museum of Northern California Art
900 Esplanade
Chico, California
Museum Hours:
Thurs-Sunday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
To Be Heard
at the
Old Courthouse Art Center
©Jamie L. Luoto, "America: She Was Asking For It," gouache on paper, 15x19 inches, 2016
I painted, America: She Was Asking For It immediately following the 2016 U.S. presidential election. A limited edition (edition of 10) print of this work was exhibited and sold at the first Nasty Women exhibition in NYC, 2017. 100% of the proceeds went to Planned Parenthood.
America: She Was Asking For It will be shown in Woodstock, Illinois at the Old Courthouse Arts Center, as part of what the organizers describe as "[an] exhibition [that] focuses on controversial artwork and the power artists have to highlight issues and social causes. This exhibition is an exercise in freedom of speech. The artwork in this exhibition takes a strong moral stance that either depicts intensely personal experiences or reflects and comments on society at large. Some of the work in this exhibition has been censored, or, by nature of the subject matter would be considered illegal in some countries. Art has the power to evoke strong opinions and challenge the viewer to think about a social issues in a new way. We hope you'll join us to engage in different perspectives on hot-topic social issues opening night!"
To Be Heard
June 2 - 30
Old Courthouse Arts Center
101 N. Johnson Street
Woodstock, Illinois
Gallery Hours:
Thursday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Friday–Saturday: 11:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Monday–Wednesday: gallery is closed
America: She Was Asking For It will be shown in Woodstock, Illinois at the Old Courthouse Arts Center, as part of what the organizers describe as "[an] exhibition [that] focuses on controversial artwork and the power artists have to highlight issues and social causes. This exhibition is an exercise in freedom of speech. The artwork in this exhibition takes a strong moral stance that either depicts intensely personal experiences or reflects and comments on society at large. Some of the work in this exhibition has been censored, or, by nature of the subject matter would be considered illegal in some countries. Art has the power to evoke strong opinions and challenge the viewer to think about a social issues in a new way. We hope you'll join us to engage in different perspectives on hot-topic social issues opening night!"
To Be Heard
June 2 - 30
Old Courthouse Arts Center
101 N. Johnson Street
Woodstock, Illinois
Gallery Hours:
Thursday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Friday–Saturday: 11:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Monday–Wednesday: gallery is closed
From blank canvas to a semifinalist in consideration for the 2018 BP Portrait Award; this is the journey of my piece from creation to London and a behind-the-scenes look at my artist life.
Last year, I specially made time over the summer to explore new themes in my portraiture. One hot June evening, I glanced at myself in the mirror and something about the lighting, angle, and mood created an intense inspiration to paint a large self portrait related to my experience as a female. So began my two month journey creating Reduction (Self Portrait).
As I began work on my portrait, I had two goals in mind:
Last year, I specially made time over the summer to explore new themes in my portraiture. One hot June evening, I glanced at myself in the mirror and something about the lighting, angle, and mood created an intense inspiration to paint a large self portrait related to my experience as a female. So began my two month journey creating Reduction (Self Portrait).
As I began work on my portrait, I had two goals in mind:
- Create a work representative of my experience as a woman and artist.
- Create a portrait I felt was worthy of submitting to the BP Portrait Award.
Scale. © Jamie L. Luoto, "Reproduction (Self Portrait), " oil on canvas, 48x36 inches (Detail in progress.), August 2017.
This piece was challenging to create because its meaning existed within me as a collection of memories, experiences and feelings, rather than something easily articulated. In the early stages of my portrait, I came across a poignant quote by John Berger in Ways of Seeing: "Men act and women appear." My mind went to years spent studying art history and the lack of female representation in Western art as it is taught in school and books. Most nudes are female, but most painters of them are male. The male gaze has dominated our understanding and formed our conception of not only the female form, but of a woman’s value, role within society and view of self. I wanted to challenge this.
In process at my studio in Healdsburg, California. ©Jamie L. Luoto, "Reproduction (Self Portrait), " oil on canvas, 48x36 inches, August 2017.
My self portrait presents myself in many ways, including: one view of me looking outward directly at the viewer, and another, my reflected figure contained in an antique gilded mirror. My face, turned out to confront the viewer, is active; my reflected figure is passive. My piece takes on the complexity of subjectivity and objectivity, suggesting and provoking many layers of understanding of the relationships between viewer, artist, and object.
Winsor & Newton Artists' Colour: titanium white, cadmium lemon + cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson + cadmium red, french ultramarine + cerulean blue
I used a limited palette of colors because I wanted to focus on the subject matter. This created simplicity and harmony on my canvas. I used warm and cool representations of each primary color, plus titanium white for tinting and toning.
glass palette covered in oil paint
From more than 7 weeks I obsessively toiled over my painting. Translating my gut feeling into a composition that articulated my experience both as a woman and an artist proved to be a difficult journey that consumed my every waking moment. Furthermore, I had never painted myself at such a large scale, and the concept was complex. It was hard to put my brushes down finally and declare it done because I am a perfectionist and I knew this was one of my most important paintings to date.
I documented the work on the day of the eclipse, August 21, 2017, only it was overcast so there was nothing to see in the sky. However, the overcast conditions made for excellent lighting to document my painting. A short while after photographing the work, I applied to the 2018 BP Portrait Award, but I didn't tell anyone I had applied because it's such prestigious competition, literally the show for the best contemporary portraits in the world, run by the UK's National Portrait Gallery.
I documented the work on the day of the eclipse, August 21, 2017, only it was overcast so there was nothing to see in the sky. However, the overcast conditions made for excellent lighting to document my painting. A short while after photographing the work, I applied to the 2018 BP Portrait Award, but I didn't tell anyone I had applied because it's such prestigious competition, literally the show for the best contemporary portraits in the world, run by the UK's National Portrait Gallery.
Documenting "Reduction (Self Portrait)" behind my studio on our 100+ year old barn
Fast forward to February 9th, 2018 when just as I was checking my phone before heading to my studio to work I saw the word "congratulations"! It was notification that my painting was one of 215 portraits (out of 2667) selected by the curators at the National Portrait Gallery to travel to London for consideration for the exhibition. I was instantly floored-bouncy-hyper-happy-stunned and then after my brief celebration I realized I had about 2 weeks to:
- Frame my portrait
- Acquire a shipping crate made of the right kind of wood (or else bad things happen)
- Arrange to somehow get my BIG painting to the U.K., through customs and delivered within a 5 day window (or else I'm just straight up eliminated)
- and figure out the insanely complicated, ill instructed, bureaucratic paperwork required for temporarily exporting/importing artwork
My first look at my framed painting! ©Jamie L. Luoto, "Reproduction (Self Portrait), " oil on canvas, 48x36 inches, August 2017.
Not long after I received the good news, and by not long I mean that same morning, I was off to my framer, Hammerfrier. We looked at frame options, but there was only one clear choice and by some miracle we were able to do the impossible; frame up Reduction (Self Portrait) in a beautiful custom gilded frame in a week's time (it should've taken 4+ weeks minimum). The frame was made on the east coast, and shipped west in a crate that was perfect for sending my painting abroad as well. Whew! Thank you so much to Charly and Glenn at Hammerfrier for all your work and support!
©Jamie L. Luoto, "Reproduction (Self Portrait), " oil on canvas, 48x36 inches, August 2017.
After much research I decided to work with FedEx Air Freight. I had a background check for homeland security purposes while setting up my account and then was set to go... filling out a number of forms, applying for licenses, etc... I was both excited and nervous when FedEx arrived - it was scary to hand over my painting, and I had never shipped such a large piece with such a tight window for delivery. Everything was moving along perfectly as I tracked my painting's progress from Healdsburg to Oakland to Memphis and then Stanstead Airport in the UK and then... it just stayed there for hours and then days. I was held up in customs, but after a number of middle of the night calls to the U.K. everything was squared away and my work made it with two days to spare!
 Preparing to pack my painting with documents |  Sealing my 120 pound crate with some 30+ screws |  FedEx Air Freight arrived to pickup my crate destined for London |
I had to wait until March 9th to find out the results, and it turned out that I was not one of the 48 works selected to exhibit this year, but I'm not feeling too shabby because it is a HUGE honor to have been a finalist and considered by the museum curators - wow. Byron and I celebrated the news straight away with champagne at 6:30am - I'm really proud of my painting, Reduction (Self Portrait), and happy that myself and my painting had such an outstanding opportunity.
"POP" and cheers!
P.S. I was successful in bringing home my painting too - it just arrived in ship-shape and Bristol fashion on Friday!
Two of my paintings will be shown in Highland Park, Illinois at The Art Center, as part of what the organizers describe as "two extraordinary exhibits juxtaposing Contemporary Native American Art and Journey to America. The exhibit will voice two individual stories side by side, to create a dialogue in the context of the native population, each personal history and heritage affecting the true American Story. We hope to shed light on the America where diversity, with the differences of each journey at the core, shape our view and vision of how we look at immigration in America."
My work explores the complexities of ancestral identity and how it threads together the past, present and future. How can I relate to something that was never mine because it was never passed down in the way of traditions? My portraits contemplate the loss of Sami culture through oppression and my family’s emigration from Finland, as well as, the significance in reconnecting to the land and customs of my ancestors. My pieces are endeavors in understanding what it means to be Sami American.
My work explores the complexities of ancestral identity and how it threads together the past, present and future. How can I relate to something that was never mine because it was never passed down in the way of traditions? My portraits contemplate the loss of Sami culture through oppression and my family’s emigration from Finland, as well as, the significance in reconnecting to the land and customs of my ancestors. My pieces are endeavors in understanding what it means to be Sami American.
Opening Reception: March 9 6-8, 2018 The Art Center 1957 Sheridan Road Highland Park, IL 60035
I created this space to showcase my past work, chronicle my current projects, and share my inspiration.
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