Featured Artist: Jacki Geary

Jacki Geary is an artist living in San Diego, CA. Geary explores the human condition and psychology of introspective moments in her female subjects. She illustrates her focused parallel views of women as beautiful, yet tough; strong, yet vulnerable. Often embracing a vintage aesthetic, Geary’s paintings serve as a collection of quasi-self-portraiture.

Artist & Craftsman Supply: Who are you and what do you do?

Jacki Geary: My name is Jacki Geary and I’m primarily a portrait and figurative painter. Recently I have been exploring printmaking and I’m loving it.

Left: Jacki Geary, Marguerite | 11" x 14" | acrylic on wood panel
 Right: Jacki Geary, Haunted | 6" x 6" | oil on panel

A&C: Did you go to school for art/what is your background?

JG: I took art classes in college and graduated with a BFA in photography. I’ve been a creative my entire life, so I’m more or less a self-taught artist. I’m pretty obsessive when there’s something I want to learn. During a 10-year career as a professional photographer, I began doing abstract painting. After years of strictly being an abstract expressionistic painter, I began to merge abstraction and portraiture and that’s where I’m at with my work today.

A&C: Do you have a favorite artist/piece of art?

JG: I have a few favorites, but one in particular is French impressionistic painter Edgar Degas. I love his piece “L'Absinthe” and was lucky enough to see it in person last October at the Musée d'Orsay. I can feel the sadness in the woman’s eyes and posture. Degas’ suggestive brush strokes are brilliant.

Left: Edgar Degas, Absinthe. Between 1875 and 1876. Oil on canvas. H. 92; W. 68.5 cm. © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée d'Orsay) / Hervé Lewandowski

Right: Jacki Geary, Paris cafe girl study 3 | 3.5" x 5.5" | watercolor in watercolor pad. Painted in Paris.

A&C: What drew you to art initially?

JG: I’ve always been a shy person, especially when I was younger. Art was a way for me to express myself. It gave me a voice. When I was a kid, I used to draw portraits of the teen idols in Teen Beat magazine. Haha!

A&C: What is your go-to album/artist right now (in the studio)?

JG: When I’m working in the studio, I tend to play the Bon Iver station on Pandora that shuffles a playlist of similar artists. It’s pretty chill working music that’s not too slow or too fast. It really depends on my mood as to the music I choose. Some days it’s Fleetwood Mac and other days it’s Nina Simone.

A&C: What do you like most about Artist & Craftsman Supply?

JG: I love A&C! What I love most is that the employees are always so helpful and knowledgeable. I love experimenting with different mediums, so when I have questions about how to use certain materials, I know they’ll be helpful and know the answers.

Left: Teen Beat Magazine, 1986

Right: Jacki Geary, Reconsidering | 8" x 10" | acrylic on wood panel

A&C: What’s one thing you can’t leave the store without buying?

JG: Usually some kind of paint. Either acrylic, oil, gouache, and most recently Speedball block printing ink.

A&C: How has your practice changed over time?

JG: I used to work on large canvases when I was painting abstracts. My studio was larger then, so it could accommodate bigger pieces. I’ve downsized my canvases over the years as I transitioned into portraiture. I’ve been focusing on some watercolor, charcoal and printmaking pieces on paper over the last few months, which helps with storage. Plus, I love working in those mediums, so I’m enjoying it.

Left: Jacki Geary, Ayane | 8" x 10" framed | gouache on hot press watercolor paper

Right: Jacki Geary, Elodie | 6" x 9" | watercolor on cold press watercolor paper

A&C: What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given (not necessarily art related)?

JG: Stay in your own lane and don’t compare yourself to others. It’s a bit hard in the art world to not compare yourself to other artists, but I try my best not to. And don’t look at the candy isle. I’m a gummy bear and sour candy addict.

A&C: What inspires you?

JG: So much. Travel, design, architecture, photography, nature, texture, fashion, music, nostalgia and all things vintage.

A&C: What is your favorite place to visit where you live?

JG: The Meditation Gardens in Encinitas, CA. I went here for the first time when I was visiting San Diego before I moved here in 2003 from Connecticut. It’s such a peaceful place filled with so many amazing plants, flowers and koi ponds that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It’s truly one of my favorite spots in San Diego.

Thank you so much, Jacki! If you want to check out more of her work head over to her website. Do you have an artist you would like to see featured on our blog? Tell us more! Email us with an artist you’re interested in learning more about.