Artist's Statement:
I am fascinated by the potential that is offered through landscape to communicate and address human moods and emotions. Upon observing representations of the natural world, it becomes apparent that our perception of it is anthropomorphic. It’s qualities are described using human terms such as ‘cheerful’, ‘relaxed’, or ‘hostile.’ Similarly, human emotions and circumstances are at times portrayed through language that is normally descriptive of nature. For instance, one could refer to someone who is smiling broadly as ‘beaming,’ or ‘radiant.’ This relationship to humanity is deepened and amplified when the beauty of the natural world is reproduced through the lens of the artist.
In exploring this relationship, my work frequently leans towards the abstract and ambiguous, focusing on space, depth, and atmosphere, rather than specifics. I am, however, also enthralled with the challenge of expressing the ephemeral through the use of a more representational method. I am excited by the idea of pursuing abstraction and representation simultaneously, blurring the distinction between the two. I am also interested in blurring the distinction between painting and printmaking in my own work, as I have found both of these disciplines to offer a distinct set of qualities that can enhance the expression of my ideas. Technical issues such as the use of scale, color, and mark-making are all constantly considered in my work, as their qualities directly effect the visual and emotional presence of a landscape.
As I seek to make landscapes that are visually and emotionally powerful, I find a strong affinity with the Romantic painters of the sublime landscape, such as Turner or Friedrich. Although the aesthetics of my work are heavily influenced by abstract expressionism, it is the concept of the sublime that most eloquently describes the intentions I have for my artwork. A sublime landscape possesses a sense of grandeur, intensity, and importance: It has the ability to make humans feel small, to see their lives with perspective and their troubles as less important.
Attempting to make artwork that captures the emotionally sublime is not an easy task. I am confronted with questions such as: Where does my emotion end and a painting’s sublime presence begin? How much of the sublime sensibility is in my control as the maker of an artwork? And what are the connotations of the sublimity of nature being communicated through my work? These questions cannot fully be answered by research or explanation. It is only by doing—by working and wrestling with the presence of the sublime in my work, that I can begin to understand more fully. This is why I must make art—because these questions dig deep to the core of who I am as an artist and a human.
Jonathan lives and works in Lincoln Nebraska with his wife Suzanne. He recieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts with high distinction in studio art at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in December 2008. He is the recipient of the Thomas P. Coleman Memorial award for Printmaking, and as such, his work "Resonance" is a part of the permanent collection at the Sheldon Art Museum.