Ever present and always enduring in Berkley’s life has been the journey of making images. Whether she is developing concepts on paper, canvas, or metal plates, she strives to draw honest and intriguing lines, to investigate the beautiful, as well as the odd, and to illuminate the common.
Berkley’s goal in creating her art is to convey a sense of mystery and awe. Her human forms, abstracted rather than literal, are placed in an environment of graphic symbols and universal patterns derived from primitive cultures.
In her artist statement about her new work she says this: “I am in the midst of creating a visual dialogue of abstracted and primal figurative paintings. These paintings are narrative and convey symbolic keys to moments in life.”
The energy and application of the surface is important as I build multiple layers of rich pigmented oil and I feel that it is important to be spontaneous and raw. I try to allow the images to reveal themselves to me as much as possible while I push to abstract line, color and form.
In this way I feel that I am remaining truthful and honest to the artistic impulse and the process of painting always remains a joyful discovery each time I approach the canvas. I have drawn much influence from Diebenkorn, and the California abstract figurative painters and also many more primitive cultures. Still it would be hard to place this body of work in a clear category…perhaps Nouveau Figurative.”
Berkley received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Art Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. She went on to teach art in the elementary public school system before pursuing a full time career as an artist.
Over the years, she has received numerous awards and exhibited in galleries and museums across the country.
Her work can be found in many notable private and public collections including Disney Corporation, Exxon Corporation, Universal Studios, Federal express, Larson Juhl, Inc, and the Ritz Carlton Corporation.
View Jacqueline’s News & Events | Printable Biography
I just picked up 2 different pieces of work by Jackie Holland. One is called butterfly and is imprinted with a seal and signed with number 8/100! The other is of a shell and it’s titled Tibia or Libia not sure it’s not numbered it just has a.p. In the lower left hand corner! Please give all the information you can. I’m stumped….thanks!
Michelle Stone
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your inquiry…We’re looking into this…but it sounds like you purchased some of her recent reproductions on paper which were published by a design group in Orlando. We are checking with the artist.
MAC
Reply from Jackie Berkley –
These were etchings created in my studio in Gulf Breeze, Florida during the 80′s. All of my editions were 100 but I ususally never printed more than 50 of any image. They were printed by myself, on my German Sturgess Press….one wipe per print….thus each is an orgina,l on very good Rives BFK paper, properly archiva/ . For nearly a decade, I only did etchings. I used a lot of beach, seashell, and nature references. My creative twist to the traditional etching was to hand cut shaped multiple plates, embedding foil to emboss, or gradation of inking. I loved these works and like to think that I revived the popularity of etchings at sidewalk shows. I was invited to do a one woman show at the Percy B Whiting Mususem based soley on the innovation of the work during the 80′s. They have stood the test of time, so thanks for asking.
Good job on the post and site. I will have to to continue taking a look at other postings. I myself own and run a site and I recognize the importance of quality content and it’s vast impact it makes on the quality of a site. I just wanted to hand out some kudos to you and to check out some of my paintings and support an aspiring artist =). Thanks.
I recently bought a painting from fine arts painter Ernest Garthwaite. He noticed a drawing on paper on my wall of a female nude that he thought was fine work. My wife tells me that she bought the framed work at a sidewalk show in Old Greenwich Ct. about 8 years ago. It’s signed “Berkley”. Would it be possible to verfy if it’s Holland Berkley’s work? We would love to know. thank you.
Frank DiVincenzo
Sorry Frank – it sounds like a different Berkley!
Sorry, I am almost certain it was not Hollands Work.