Jamie-Lee Wood

I have always painted from are protection, strength and comfort. I feel these things strongly as I paint, and so it is at the core of everything I create. I've been told multiple times however, that my artwork illustrates anything but that. They often don't have or share the same feeling for others. My work can come off as cold and disturbing. I’ve tried to use more widely known symbols of warmth and comfort, but I tend to always go back to my cool tone palette. I don’t know the reason why I find peace in creating monsters, giant beings, and cities drenched in fog. But I enjoy having the control and ability to do it.

My paintings hold signs of life without the use of normal human figures. I have a tendency to distort the body, and taking away the eyes of a person immediately brings it into an uncanny place. But for me the lack of human eyes means these mother monsters stare down without judgment. For me they illustrate protection and strength. Something I wish I had or something I wish I could give, I'm not sure.

My feminine figures are a key element in my work. I believe being born a woman is anything but soft. Suffering is built into them the moment they are born, they know blood and pain from early on. I don't believe my work is cold and disturbing. I feel they hold a sense of raw humanity, strength, and comfort for those who understand them.