Click Here to read my update for June 12, 2008

ARTIST STATEMENT

When I was ten years old, my parents (AKA Santa Claus) gave me a microscope for Christmas.  The entire process of using the microscope fascinated me; the lens that had two settings, the little rectangular glass slides, even the gray metal box it came in!  But of course the best thing was getting a good look into an infinitely tiny magical world.  A grain of sugar became a revelation to me.   A blade of grass could turn into a hairy log!  The scales of a butterfly wing astounded me.

I think my parents knew me better than to expect the microscope to be a launching pad into a bio-science career, but if by chance they did, that didn’t happen.  In fact, I am quite sure that if I remember correctly, within a matter of a few months my brother or I had somehow accidentally destroyed the thing.  We were not careful boys, after all.  At least not with complicated things like microscopes.

However... the magnified intricacies of that hidden, secret world have always stayed with me.  I was asked to add a flower (in closeup) to a commissioned landscape painting a few years ago, and since that time my direction has slowly changed.  I’d been painting broad expanses of sky, and have gradually moved more into the intense focus of a much smaller subject, even though I still love to paint sky. 

Many of my paintings incorporate a mystical, soft focus background.  The sharp foreground and fuzzy background are distinctly different, but both contribute equally to the overall mood I want to convey.  My subject matter varies; it may be a leaf, a flower, a rock, a twig…but my goal is to reveal the wonder of the hidden world around us.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Hunter Jay's art career began in 1964 with drawings of Godzilla in battle with squadrons of fighter jets. His fellow first graders were his early collectors for these scenes of chaos, which were all free for the asking. At the time, no one knew he'd rather draw cars and castles, but the Godzilla drawings were so popular and made his friends so happy, he couldn't resist.

As a teenager, Hunter left the monsters and jets behind and experimented with a wide variety of mediums; so much so that his parents strongly encouraged him to major in art at a local university. It may have been his sole act of teenage rebellion, but he decided to major in music instead. The music education was a wonderful experience, but by 1981, with degree in hand, he realized the ride was over. He re-entered a university studying graphic design, was offered a job before he earned a second degree, and began work in that field.

And a job it was, at least for him. In a way, it was the Godzilla phenomenon all over again, creating design layouts for subjects that hardly interested him. Eventually, the creative differences with the entire advertising world became too much. He abruptly quit, and began a lucrative career in telecommunications that lasted for over 15 years.
Art won out in the end. After a massive layoff in telecom, Hunter used his savings to launch his career as a full-time artist, painting the subject matter that is closest to his heart.

Hunter's paintings embrace an admiration of simplicity. The composition and color is uncomplicated and mostly triadic in nature. Colors are brilliant and bold, but not shocking. The work evokes a contemplative and peaceful place, be it a sun-showered field of daisies or a quiet, icy winter scene. His paintings have been showcased in juried shows throughout Colorado, and his commissioned work is highly sought after.