Artist Statement
I am a multidisciplinary artist whose primary creative output is painting, but my practice also includes two social media based projects that foster engagement between artists on a local and national level.
My abstract paintings are a lifelong exploration into the use of formalism to communicate the energy of transformative experiences real and imagined. Flames, leaves, hair – these are what people say make up my paintings. They are all symbols of change and accurately reflect these times.
The Drawing Exchange (est. 2017) is a project that connects artists and builds their collections via a mediated swap of 2D works that takes place several times a year on a private Instagram account (a public archive account serves to raise awareness for the project). To date over 130 artists have participated in The Drawing Exchange from the US, UK and Canada.
Air In Space (est. 2019) is a new sustainable alternative to the traditional gallery model. By eschewing a brick and mortar space and its attendant costs, AIS is able to more nimbly serve its artists interests. Conceptually, it is closer to a record label than a gallery. AIS presents discrete releases of exclusive works by contemporary artists on Instagram.
Artist Bio
Jay Gaskill is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Portland, OR. Jay was born and raised in a Maryland suburb of Washington D.C. He received his arts education in New York City, earning an MFA from Hunter College and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts. His primary creative output is abstract painting. His paintings are a lifelong exploration into the use of formalism to communicate the energy of transformative experiences real and imagined. His work has been exhibited in group shows on both coasts and featured in publications such as Art Maze Magazine and Maake. His most recent solo exhibition “Variation In Production” was at Ampersand Gallery in Portland, OR in early 2020. The other side of his practice comes in the form of two different social-media-based projects: Air In Space and The Drawing Exchange. Jay founded Air In Space in 2019 with his wife, Erin B. Gaskill (who serves as Creative Director). The project functions like a record label, but for painting, and presents exhibitions exclusively on Instagram. Jay founded The Drawing Exchange in 2017 as a way to connect artists and build their collections, via a mediated exchange of 2D works that happens several times a year on a private Instagram account. To date, The Exchange has worked with over 120 artists from around the US, Canada and the UK.
CCA Gallery Manager Carolyn Hopkins interviews Jay Gaskill