JA_Watercolor

Recent Works

Metamorphic Seasons Mural

Metamorphic Seasons Butterfly Mural, Golden Hills Park
21x9' outdoor house paint custom mixed on brick wall

It was an absolute honor to work with the City of Cottonwood Heights Art Council and Draper Fabrication on this project. I couldn't be more happy with the way that it turned out. If you want to check it out in person, its at Golden Hills Park, right off of Wasatch Blvd. in between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.

Exploring in the Desert of Southern Utah

Canyonering in Kanarra
‍‍32x2" watercolor on Arches 140lb cold press paper

Inspired by a photo I took of my wife when exploring a slot canyon in southern Utah. I reduced her size by half to accentuate the grand scale of the canyon. With a focus on lighting, pushing my color boundaries, and exploring a loose painting style makes this piece a new new favorite.

My Happy Place

Top of the Tram, Snowbird Utah
‍52x32" watercolor on Arches 140lb cold press paper

Iconic view from the top of the tram at Snowbird ski resort in Utah.

The Space Between

The Space Between: Aspens
72x36" watercolor on Arches 140lb cold press paper

This is by far my largest watercolor to date, and it was such a rewarding challenge to work on. The piece was a commission, where the collector asked me to create an aspen scene. After presenting a few options, we settled on this direction, and I began to explore the idea in depth.

As I painted, I found myself reflecting on what makes nature so beautiful and how I could translate that beauty into a truly immersive experience for the viewer. Rather than focusing on a specific focal point or subject within the scene, I chose to center the piece on the sensation of being surrounded by the fall foliage of an Aspen grove.

Through careful attention to texture and color, my goal was to evoke the feeling of walking through the grove, allowing the viewer to imagine themselves enveloped in the vibrant colors and patterns of the trees. This approach is part of my ongoing exploration, and I plan to carry this idea further in a new series I’m calling The Space Between, which will focus on the emotional journey through the trees, rather than simply the final destination.

This Land Was My Land

The Grizzler, Blue Whale, Mr. Buffalo
Each Piece: 19x24" watercolor and ink on 140lb Arches cold press paper

In this series, I simplify the skull shapes of endangered species into my signature stained glass window design. I overlay this window onto the creatures' natural habitats, obscuring the landscapes beyond. The perspective is imagined from within a man-made dwelling that has ironically displaced these beings from the land that was once their home.

Ski Utah

Snowbird and Solitude Ski Resorts

I use my signature window design to reimagine the man-made ski lifts that obscure once-untouched landscapes. While these structures provide access to previously inaccessible terrain, they also detract from the natural beauty of the view.

Shows

First Festival - Ogden Arts Festival

OK... that was a lot of work, and also a ton of fun! I learned a lot through this process, and look forward to refining my setup for the next one.

Solo Exhibition – Cottonwood Heights City Hall (July 2024)

This was my first solo show, and am very happy with how it turned out. It forced me to prep and curate a body of work to fill a relatively large space. I sold several original pieces as well as a few prints.

Hummingbird and Dragonfly Art Gallery Exhibit, "Black & White"

Snowy Trees 2 – 22x30" on 300lb rough watercolor paper

Snowy Trees 2 was invited to the Hummingbird and Dragonfly Art Gallery Black & White exhibition, running from 10/1-10/31 2024.

KBM Art Gallery – Lovely Landscapes

Delicate Arch, Moab UT – 22x30" on 300lb rough watercolor paper
Park Ave, Moab UT – 30x22" on 300lb rough watercolor paper

Delicate Arch and Park Ave was invited to the KBM Art Gallery's Lovely Landscapes exhibition, running from 8/32-10/31 2024.

Utah State Fair 2024

Mt. Olympus, Utah – 22x30" watercolor on 300lb rough paper

Mt. Olympus won 6th place in the professional category at the Utah State Fair. This piece was also given the merit award by the Utah Watercolor Society. Overall I was impressed with the quality of work that showed up at this competition, I think I'll step it up next year!