Maz Jackson SGFA, STP has spent a lifetime drawing and painting in rural Norfolk UK. The landscape, history and its people enrich her imagery which can be interpreted in many ways and relate to many cultures across the globe. Winner of national and international awards, her work continues to be exhibited and collected by galleries, museums and private collections across the UK, Europe, Japan, China, USA and Mexico. Her work has been exhibited at Florence, Palermo and Venice Biennale (New York Arts Pavilion), where she represented the UK. She has also exhibited at Le Grande Palais, Paris (Salon des Independants), Prince Ranier's Auditorium, Monaco, Royal Academy, Mall Galleries, Bankside Gallery, London and many more. She has also worked as an adviser/practitioner with the BBC and gives short courses and summer schools.
Maz creates her work using fifteenth century techniques as written at that time in 'Il Libro dell' Arte' by Cennino de Andrea Cennini. These tried and tested methods are said to have had less restoration than many types of paint medium though history. Imagery is worked up in tempera comprised of mineral pigments, such as lapis lazuli, mixed with egg yolk and distilled water. The tempera is laid down on gessoed, linen wrapped oak panels between gilded shapes of 24 carat gold leaf. Much time passes between each process, many drawings of thoughts and ideas form stimuli for the paintings, some to also become series of prints, scrolls, artists books and sculptures.
Recently she has also been investigating historic gum tempera methods for miniature painting of many cultures, both on paper and gesso panels. Still using pure mineral pigments, she has settled on recipes of different mediums including Gum Arabic, various oils such as poppy seed and lavender, Damar varnish and sometimes egg yolk too. In the past, these materials, some mixed in secret recipes, have also stayed the test of time and can be seen in Hilliard's work, Persian and Medieval manuscripts, Aztec codices, Icelandic sagas and many beautiful contemporary works.
"Ideas are sourced from anything that excites: people, love, communication, touch, tension, laughter, flight, landscape, the spaces between and things sacred".
"I have a deep interest in colour, line, mark-making and edge, which all come into play when working in paint, drawing and print. I wish my work to have a timeless quality which the on-looker can dip into and be instilled with ever-changing thoughts, questions and smiles."
Professor Giampoala Trotta of Florence "Maz Jackson is an imaginative and allegorical post-modern medievalist." A quote from his paper based on her solo show at Basilica di San Lorenzo, Florence.
Jef Borgeau Director of Museum of New Art Detroit " Opening the crate containing Maz's art was like opening a casket revealing a precious jewel"
Pasqaule Celona President of Florence Biennale on seeing her work when visiting Le Salon des Independants, Grand Palais Paris. " Maz Jackson's work is so beautiful, it is like the tree of life" (Maz is a Florence Biennale Artist representing the UK).
Photos copyright: Ryan Bleyswyk, Joshua Jackson, Maz Jackson