Artist Statement

Joshua Jenkins

I was born in 1987 and am one of eight siblings. I was raised in New York, in the beautiful Hudson Valley, where I began my start in drawing. In high school, I moved to central Kentucky continuing my teenage artistic endeavors before deciding to return to New York, where I received my BFA in Graphic Design and a minor in Studio Art. Post college I ended up spending a brief time in Philadelphia, PA where I was greatly inspired and influenced by the local urban art scene.

The contrast of the places I've lived has undoubtedly brought a unique dichotomy to my work that meshes big city culture with a southern country flare. My art is exceptionally expressive and pulls influence from Street Art, Naïve Art, Pop Art, and the 20th & 21st centuries Expressionist movements. The primary subjects of my work focus on subtle gay themes, nature, and most prominently the human condition. My use of color is bold and loud. I form my figures through profound, distorted, energetic lines and unabashed brush strokes. I deliberately push myself to find a challenge within each picture and am constantly evolving as a painter. One consistent thing I do though is within each of my works I encompass raw emotion that seems to bleed through the canvas leaving behind a curious narrative to be unraveled through the viewer’s eyes.

I currently reside in Louisville, KY, focusing on my art and family. I try to frequent cities as much as possible for my urban inspiration and often visit the Great Lakes of Kentucky for inspiration from nature.

Visit the artist’s personal website: www.joshuajenkinsart.com