Jieru's Artist Statement

I begin a drawing or painting by imagining a scene in my mind, much like setting up a stage act. Initially, when I have a fleeting idea, I prefer to document it on my iPad by rapidly suggesting the placement of objects and blocking in colors. I also use pencil and charcoal on paper to work out ideas. Because I am unable to construct everything with my memory, I require a lot of references during my work, such as the surrounding environment, related objects, or the figure's gesture, to bring the vague image in my head to life. I purposefully use light touches creating a close value system to achieve a dreamlike impression that creates a barrier between the viewer's world and the world behind the picture plane.

My creative works are based on films, video games, novels, myths, and legends, and, to lend a depth of realism, my daily life. I place a high priority on the narratives in my drawings, and am drawn to the mystery and unpredictability of people. I am curious about the reason behind people’s actions. It is hard for the closest friends, let alone strangers, to fully understand each other. As a result, as I begin envisioning the story behind a model or a person in a photograph based on their appearances and behaviors, what I could perceive are merely assumptions based on my experiences, which adds mystery to the drawing process. This uncertainty is also one of the reasons I like art: rather than drawing entirely from life, it provides me with space to explore my preferences and to reflect my feelings onto paper while investigating topics that interest me.