Jami Childers is a gifted seeker – a passionate artist who brings beauty to life.
Educated at San Bernardino College in California and Florida State College in Jacksonville, Jami’s work goes into the realm of intuition, imagination and pure creation.
With experience as owner of Monroe Galleries in Jacksonville Florida, Jami has excelled in all areas of the arts. She organized the Montmartre Festival in 2016. She was juror of shows for the Society of Mixed Media Artists in Jacksonville and the Plein Air Group in Fernandina. Jami shared her comprehensive knowledge by teaching a weekly advanced oil painting class from 2010 to 2017. Jami finds teaching workshops and sharing her skills immeasurably rewarding.
Well awarded by organizations such as: the St. Augustine Art Society, the Jacksonville Coalition of Visual Arts, Jacksonville Watercolor Society, First Coast Cultural Center in Ponte Vedra and Southlight Gallery. Jami’s work is impressive as she eavesdrops on the universe.
Jami Childers, 2024
Artist Statement
Floridian Artist using vivid color and bold texture to create intriguing works of art in oil.
I find unparalleled serenity in generating artwork from above and below the waterline. While observing koi and water fowl I notice their reflections and how the water alters their forms. I am fond of pushing the limits between abstraction and realism while portraying them. The Koi’s markings for instance, give me the opportunity to play bright vivid color against the diversity of the dusky water. Florida’s waterways and wetlands lend me endless opportunities to depict the diverse array of waterbirds. Just like the koi, the birds come in a variety of color for me to explore. The intricate patterns and textures in their plumage present a fascinating challenge to paint. Painting them in oil allows for the creation of smooth, flowing brushstrokes that convey the grace and agility of these creatures. I recreate the illusion of motion, making the birds appear as if they are about to take flight to soar through the air.
There is beauty in losing your guidelines. Do you focus on what you observe above the waterline, do you see the life erupting from under the surface? The magic happens in the lost edges, in finding the details worth bringing forward. It’s not as important to tell the viewer every detail. They connect with my art through their own conclusions. I am just here to begin the story.
I don’t need to be in a good mood to paint, I paint to get in a good mood. Something amazing happens when I step into my studio and the world falls away. I begin each painting with a custom color toned background. Letting slivers of that color peek out sets the mood within the painting, then the fun begins. Working in oil gives me time to blend colors and I adore the texture that I work to build up. Initially I use thin washes. The marks they leave behind are unpredictable and wonderful. I often let some of that show through in the finished work. Each painting is treated with a final varnish.
— Jami