Visit the Studio with Jacqueline Ferrante

Like fog on a winter window, sea foam over wet sand, or rust on a weather-worn metal roof, Jacqueline Ferrante’s paintings are evocative, natural, and organic even in their abstract state. It’s no surprise that Ferrante’s work stems from her self proclaimed fascination with those surfaces most overlooked in our natural and industrial environments. Together let’s find solace in the beauty of the small things and take a look inside her process and studio.

What is your artwork about? What does it speak to?

I attempt to capture moments, capture time as a means of highlighting the beauty of our present. I am interested in mimicking the found surfaces of our daily lives that often go unnoticed; the surfaces upon which we walk, pass by and touch. I do this by depicting light and shadow through methodically built up textured surfaces.

Living in such a fast-paced world, we are often consumed with technology, trends, and continuous scrolling. Although I am guilty of this as much as the next person, I spend a lot of my time thinking about and contemplating the world we live in, the spaces around me, and how we see and engage with these environments on a daily basis. I am curious about how our natural environment always makes itself present, even in our most industrial spaces, by the presence of decay –– the cracks in the sidewalk, rust on a pole, chipped wall paint, peeled ads on the subway platform, or even the flickering shadows of leaves and branches cast upon a warehouse. The harshness and beauty of nature's elements are ever-present and time is always passing –– I am interested in capturing these often overlooked moments as tributes to the beauty of the present.

I spend a lot of time looking at and observing surfaces. Over time I’ve realized that the act of looking, of appreciating these surfaces, gives me a moment of pause, of meditation –– the gift of self-reflection. In these moments, I think more deeply about the particular surface I’m looking at. I begin to reflect on the lifespan of the object, its existence over time. A subway platform column when freshly painted looks clean and sharp; the entire environment smells of industrialized newness. Over time, however, the smell quickly fades and the wear and tear of existence is present on the surface –– like how wrinkles and scars form as we get older. These chips and cracks expose what was once the subway column of years past. Each moment we pass that same subway column, it is in a different phase of its life and it has an ever-growing and ever-changing story. We will never see it exactly the same again –– is it natural wear and tear or is it from the burden of human interaction? Taking the time to look at these ordinary objects and ask these questions heightens my curiosity about the world we live in and, in turn, inspires me to paint.

I aim to convey this thought process within my work. I am capturing and commemorating moments in time that most will never make note of. Maybe my paintings will make us think –– recall memories, thoughts, and dreams. Perhaps they will make us want to touch, engage with, and appreciate the ordinary a little bit more because my work reminds us that time is fleeting and we should cherish the present moment.

What materials do you use? And why?

I use acrylic for its fast-drying properties and apply it onto canvas or wood panel with a palette knife. Sometimes I mix in concrete, plaster, and iridescent pigments. Working with a palette knife is the most important part of my process because it allows me to layer and build the paint, creating grooves of color, texture, and depth –– like a terrain. Most recently I’ve become interested in experimenting with adding atypical materials such as natural pigments derived from wine, berries, and spices on canvas.

I'm interested in incorporating iridescent pigment into my paintings as a means of incorporating subtle reflections of light. I add iridescent pigment to the surface early on and then build the acrylic layers strategically on top, revealing thoughtful moments of iridescence below. I particularly enjoy looking at these paintings in natural light where if you catch them at just the right moment, you can see the iridescent under-layer. The light plays with the painting. It's beautiful!

Where do you get your inspiration?

I’m inspired by overlooked moments in our everyday environments: the vibrancy of moss or rust on a rainy day; cracks in the walls of broken buildings –– beauty in the historical decay of surface textures.

I always want to touch and investigate surfaces. For me, the history of a surface speaks to the history of ourselves –– of us growing, changing, and becoming something different than before. Sometimes these changes happen ever so slightly and sometimes more drastically. This change over time seems inexplicably linked to light and shadow. As the sun passes through the sky, time elapses, and shadows are cast upon surfaces. The textured surfaces of my paintings tell the story of this passing time marked by the movement of light and shadow.

Terrain is another major source of inspiration for me. I am really drawn to maps and I love traveling! I love to look at the world from above and from laying on the ground looking up at the sky. For me, seeing the world from a different perspective keeps me curious and alive. I’m eager to find new ways to understand the world –– nature and the elements.

What is your typical routine when you get to the studio? Walk us through a typical studio day.

I usually walk or ride my bike to the studio. This gives me time to clear my head and get inspired by the sounds and sights of the landscape: birds chirping, shadows on the sidewalk, graffiti, trees blowing in the wind, industrial warehouses, and trucks driving by. Once I arrive, I clean up and organize from the day before, do some sketching, mix colors, listen to some music, and get in the zone. Then I’ll either continue working on a piece that I haven’t quite figured out yet or I’ll start something new.

Every time I notice a surface that intrigues me or inspires me, I am creating. Lately, I’ve noticed more and more how important it is to give more time to myself –– to breathe, stay calm, and make room for new things to come my way. For some reason, looking at the sidewalk, old walls, and nature, are all things that can calm me down and allow me to reflect on myself and my desires in life. All of this feeds my art and my practice.

Do you work at a particular size or scale? Why?

Not particularly. Sometimes I work really big (5 x 6 feet), but mostly medium-small. If I’m making a large-scale piece, I treat it as a performance and use my body, materials, and space all as part of the making process. If I’m making something smaller, I will work on two to three pieces at once. I get very impatient waiting for paint to dry (hence the acrylic paint) so it keeps me on my toes and when I work on multiple pieces at once, they tend to feed off of one another :)

I often work in a square format because the square is reminiscent of tiles on the sidewalk or a wall –– things that are constantly part of my daily life in New York City. When I look at the tiles on a sidewalk, I often feel nostalgic. I like to use this form as a means of accessing that nostalgia; those tactile and ephemeral moments of life in the city.

What are you currently working on? Share with us what is exciting to you about this most recent work.

Recently I’ve been experimenting with imprinting a surface –– taking the marks from a surface I’ve laid my canvas upon –– and utilizing the textured ground as a base layer for my work. Using wine, berries, and spices, I rub or pour them onto the surface, allowing them to seep deep into the ridges of the canvas. I then build upon the painting with layers of acrylic paint, salt, and more wine, berries, or spices to form the painting’s terrain –– creating peaks and valleys of texture and color, light and shadow.

I enjoy using atypical materials such as naturally derived pigments. It excites me to see the richness of certain pigments and how they interact with the surface over time, for example, the color of the pigment may fade or rot the longer it is exposed to air or light. This ephemeral quality of my materials speaks directly to my discussion of passing time and the beauty of aging, deterioration, as well as the beauty of the present moment.

Which artists most inspire you and your work?

I love Monet’s sense of color, Rainer Gross’s textures, and Robert Ryman’s minimalistic approach to a surface. Other artists that inspire me are Joan Mitchell, Bosco Sodi, Kadar Brock, and John Zurier.

Do you balance another job in addition to being an artist?

Yes! I bartend at two spots in my neighborhood. I find that this works best for me; a way to pay the bills and give myself the time I need to get inspired and make work.

Do you have any current or upcoming exhibits? Please share!

I will have a solo show next year at Kate Oh Gallery in New York City. The show was supposed to be this spring but was pushed back due to COVID-19. More info to come!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this special peek into Jacqueline's creative environment! Even in a virtual age, we encourage all budding collectors to take the time to connect with the artists you love directly.

We want to remind you of our awesome artist messaging feature directly on the Art in Res site––reach out now and foster that creative energy! Have more questions for Jacqueline on her art and practice? Follow up with her directly via our messenger. We know she’ll be thrilled to answer any questions you might have. Ask about a specific painting or about her specific process in general––either approach works!