About
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Oakland, CA
Visual art is J-Wo’s native language. Yet it took a set of extenuating circumstances to allow her to accept art as genuine part of how she expresses her emotions and processes information. It was during this transformational period that she discovered that she was part of a unique group of people with synesthesia, the perceptual phenomenon where one can see color in music. It’s a distinctive trait that imbues her art with a sense of rhythm and heartfelt emotion. In this way she may be able to communicate the kind of peak experiences we achieve on the dancefloor and share the way she views the union of sight and sound. While J-Wo primarily calls oil her medium it wouldn’t be accurate to label her as a painter. She is a multimedia maven, a master of the canvas, woodwork, and even stained glass. Her use of reclaimed materials to transform the two-dimensional forms. These textural, geometric, abstractions find balance in the beauty that can be found in both a harsh urban landscape, and the wonders of the natural world. 2019 was a landmark year for her as she not only curated her very first solo art exhibition she was also invited to create a piece of art for Burning Man’s Temple of Direction. Invited because of her ability to translate physical and emotional energy into the tangible, she was inspired to create “The Premise.” A stunning example of how big art can be a cipher for the human experience. Set against the backdrop of the monochromatic temple was a brilliant gradient of colors that transitioned across the 24 human chromosome maps (X, Y, and the 22 autosomes). The mixture of mediums lept from the walls of one of Burning Man’s most sacred spaces, adding to its emotional reverence. This landmark piece truly encompasses J-Wo’s ability to draw people in and reflect on their experiences and emotions. Being offered such a large platform to showcase her work has allowed J-Wo the space to really consider where her art can fit into the wider world. And while the knowledge that she knows she can push herself to go bigger than she previously has, her desire to remain authentic continues to permeate her work. And this is what people have found the most compelling about her both as an artist, and a human. |
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