Jewel Painting

I have been living and working in Philadelphia, PA since 2005. I received my MFA in Printmaking from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and my BA in Philosophy from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. I currently work in oil, acrylic and collage on canvas and paper; I also work in pen, marker and collage on paper and bristol. Throughout my career I have worked in a variety of media including painting, drawing, etching, silkscreen, lithography, paper-makimg, sculpture and new forms. My work is based on naturally occurring forms from the woods of New England to the city streets of Philadelphia. Rocks; pebbles; stone walls; natural growths; and the detritus of cityscapes make their way into my unconscious and become my visual language. These amorphous pebble, stone, petal and cellular shapes are then infused with color, removing the element of nature and creating a saturated environment of abstract forms. My palette since 2011 is one of blues, pinks, roses, silvers, grays and greens and is evocative of calm, serenity, and frivolity. My use of collaged "remnants" from unused canvasses, drawings and found objects, which are integrated into the canvas, create depth and a push-pull between color, shape and texture. My current work on paper and bristol has returned to the simplicity of black and blue pen. I allow my art practice to happen organically and instinctively, without self judgment. Rather, the circularity of my studio work, from the use of heavily saturated oil to black and white, mimics the forms and shapes that appear in my work. My love of materials, process and mark-making is the impetus for my work and is what pushes each piece forward to it's completed form. When I am not making art I visit galleries and museums in Philadelphia and New York, practice yoga and engage in community services. I also work with collectors, helping them to organize and inventory their art, antiques and other collectibles, through Jacoby ARTchiving. Visit me at: www.rajacoby.com and www.JacobyARTchiving.com