Jay Hodgins

Jay Hodgins studied visual art at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver and has been gradually evolving his art practice into an evocative meditation on nature in its many varied forms and moods. Working from his studio in Toronto, he creates works in acrylic employing a complex layering of colours, which are then coated in resin to create works of extraordinary depth and luminosity. He is represented by galleries in both Vancouver and Toronto.

Hodgins also continues to work extensively as an interior designer, a profession he studied at Ryerson University. His design career has included an internship at Yabu Pushelberg and several years as Design Director at Gluckstein Design and Planning, where he managed a team of 25 and up to 20 projects simultaneously. Commercial projects have ranged from the Trump project at 160 Riverside in New York to the Pantages development in Toronto. Retail assignments have included the Recife Shopping Centre in Brazil, the Amoy Plaza in Hong Kong, and the Holt Renfrew Centre in Toronto. Hodgins also works as an art director, styling interiors for photo shoots. Working with photographers around the world, he has helped to shape the images of luxury brands such as Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

When you look at Hodgins’ paintings, you are immediately drawn in. There is an emphasis on spontaneity and great emotional intensity, yet the paintings are very carefully planned. The art is bold, not necessarily with colour but with painterly gestures. There is no recognizable imagery, but one sees the story being told. Each painting becomes a personal journey. Hodgins’ paintings evoke a feeling of tranquilly and stormy chaos simultaneously. There is a feeling of the solitude of nature without the intrusion of objects or reference to time. His painting style emphasizes sophisticated compositions with bursts of colour; they emote a deep talent and artistic confidence. The natural elements of the paintings seem to struggle with the more modern abstract concepts around them, creating dramatic tension.