20″x19″ acrylic and spray paint on dyed canvas $2,200
Jamie Powell, a native of Fairmont, West Virginia, but now residing 35 miles outside of NYC in a small lakeside town, draws inspiration from her Appalachian heritage, which is rooted in the traditions of resourcefulness, patchwork, and repurposing. Growing up in a family of farmers and factory workers, she developed an early appreciation for the art of making do with what’s at hand. Powell’s art pushes conventional boundaries, pushing the limits of painting through her experimental techniques. She engages in a multifaceted process that involves dyeing, braiding, weaving, stitching, and painting raw canvas. What emerges are paintings that blur the line between art and craft.
Her canvases expand beyond their traditional confines, with oversized and unruly bows breaking free from the stretcher, and braided canvas cascading to the floor. These creations evolve into three-dimensional objects, referencing the human form in their scale—akin to the dimensions of a head, torso, or outstretched arms. In her most recent works, she is reflecting on her rural upbringing and the way in which nature shaped her. Influences range from Robert Rauschenberg to Jessica Stockholder, from Arte Povera to Pattern and Decoration movements, from Formalism to Feminism. Through her highly experimental approach, she invites viewers to explore the boundaries of what paintings can be, embracing the beauty of imperfection, transformation, and the enduring spirit of her Appalachian upbringing.
She has exhibited extensively over the seventeen years including: Soil Gallery in Seattle, David & Schweitzer and Fresh Window in Brooklyn, Freight + Volume and Morgan Lehman in New York. She has received grants from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, and Pratt Institute. She is a faculty member at Pratt Institute and a Teaching Artist for the Studio in A School Foundation of New York. Jamie is represented by the Painting Center in New York City and Peter Anthony Fine Art in Charleston, South Carolina.
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