Departure III by Jamie Perry. Photo courtesy of CK Contemporary Gallery.
Minimalism with a twist is what makes Jamie Perry’s art so remarkable. “Just One Bite,” where a French Bulldog sits patiently across from a box of donuts, is an idyllic example of how Perry’s work bubbles over with emotion and a bit of humor while still upholding the clean lines and simplicity that minimalistic art is known for.
Perry’s journey into creating fine art was not like most. Although he had been drawn to art and painting from a young age, his first professional job was in stunt work. After training and working as a stuntman for 15 years, Perry decided to switch from thrill-seeking car chases to commercial art.
Artist's Block by Jamie Perry. Photo courtesy of CODA Gallery.
“I covered pretty much everything [as a stuntman]: cars, motorcycles, falls, fires and fights, and then as I got a little older, I realized that getting beat up, bruised and broken isn’t the best way to go,” he remarks. “I ventured into illustration doing commercial artwork, but after working so long on pieces and then having an art director tell you that you need to change things–after putting 50 hours of work on it, or more–I decided to go into fine art.”
Object of Desire, by Jamie Perry. Photo courtesy of the artist.
When Perry first set forth into the fine art space, he was drawn to the simplicity of clean lines and scenery. He fondly remembers a cross-country road trip significantly shaping his artistic direction toward minimalist landscape painting.
“I had taken a trip to my grandparents’ house in Arkansas by car, so I was driving across Texas, where you see nothing but flat land, and maybe every once in a while a little house or trees,” Perry remembers. “I was drawn to the simplicity of that landscape, and I said, ‘I’m going to try painting this but with really dramatic stormy skies and a little spot of light on these little dwellings and trees.’”
Unveiling his art at his first show in Lake Tahoe, Nev., in 1998 led him to be picked up by Palm Desert’s ICONIC CODA Gallery a year later.
Perry continues to create art that is minimalistic in style but saturated with emotion.
“I sometimes use a little bit of humor, although it’s very subtle, in some of the pieces. I always say if I can bring a smile to someone’s face, a look of bewilderment, or even a laugh or a tear, then I think I’ve done my job,” Perry says. “Some of my art can be serious, but I would say I try to put humor in some pieces because that’s more my personality.”
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The Last Oak by Jamie Perry. Photo courtesy of CK Contemporary Gallery.
Often identifiable by featuring subjects adorned in traditional 1930s and 1940s clothing, Perry’s art is a tribute to his minimalistic style, his surroundings and the inspiration he finds around him.
“The current vintage pieces I have usually include a man in vintage attire. I got the idea for those from my grandfather, who had a collection of photographs of himself from the 1930s. He was always really dressed up in these nice suits and fedoras, and I think I was drawn to that look.”
To Perry, art is all about finding the seamless blend between evolution and maintaining personal style– a balance that some artists can spend their entire lives striving to achieve.
Critical Thinker by Jamie Perry. Photo courtesy of the artist.
“I try to evolve a little bit over time. I think I’ll always do figurative work, but there’s been a renewed interest in landscapes, so I’m kind of going back to very simplistic landscapes,” Perry says. “I put a lot more work into them nowadays. I think I wasn’t sure, back in the day when I was starting, how perfect they had to be, so now I’m putting more time into the landscapes, and I think it shows.”
The Modernist by Jamie Perry. Photo courtesy of CODA Gallery.
Perry’s art is currently featured in the CODA Gallery in Palm Desert and CK Contemporary in San Francisco.
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