Jay Handy

My art has often been described as “nostalgic” and “forlorn.” From my body of work, I realize that the heartbeat and history come from my unmoored formative years. I had a difficult childhood which included living in foster care in my teens and “reaching out” for relationships and guidance. At 18 years of age, I found myself without a place to live and never intended to go to college. My best friend’s father picked me up one Saturday morning to take the SAT, which led to college at Michigan State University and, eventually, to Harvard Business School followed by Lesley University for an MFA. During these years, art was always on my mind.

In addition to the nostalgia present in my work, there is also tension due, I think, to being exposed to a lot of stress in childhood. Like most artists, I find myself reaching back into my history and memory for art subject matter. I want my work to conjure up memorable moments in life that can trigger a feeling and capture that moment for the viewer. It is striking and humbling to me that I can make something that came from within me, and then touches someone else in a completely different way. I have discovered that there is a thin line between being “sweet and nostalgic” and providing tens...

Lesley University
Harvard Business School
Michigan State University