Jaclyn Beth Tomasso was born in Attleboro Massachusetts, and began drawing at a young age, discovering her love of portraiture at the age of 13. She studied drawing and Studio Art at Emmanuel College, where she received her Bachelors degree in 2009. In the years that followed, Jaclyn dived into acrylic painting, experimenting with different subjects and techniques. In 2012 she gravitated back toward the human form and portraiture, where her pursuit of art had originated. She continues to experiment with the female form, merging that fascination with a love of pattern and fashion in her work. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ I think that a common inspiration for many visual artists is to capture originality through both subject matter and style. Similarly, the goal of much of my creative work is to depict a unique character that exists at a precise moment in time, yet has the ability to resonate universally. The term character can refer to a variety of visual subjects but I do tend to find the female experience to be particularly fascinating. From a personal standpoint, exploring the complexity of the female form allows me to consider my own struggle to establish a productive outlet for expression. From a broader standpoint, the female experience often includes ever changing external pressures to fulfill a standard that is not entirely defined by the individual female herself. I enjoy promoting this concept to a wider audience by highlighting the subtlety of the individual as it relates to the shared human experience that we each face in attempting to find place in the complex world that surrounds us. I find that a portrait of a female who cannot be neatly defined is perhaps the most effective method to represent the stated goal of my creative work. I believe that the visual appeal of my portraits derives from the fact that these women are not immediately identifiable but their eyes confirm the presence of an underlying coolness that the viewer is not currently privy to. This dynamic allows the art’s character to be considered. I also attempt to allow the viewer’s own personal experience to offer more definition to unknown elements. In this effort, I believe that the art expands beyond a simply ornamental object and attempts to become a participating entity. Composition, size, and materials are also important aspects that I use to further enhance this sense of relatable individuality. My work often ranges from refined completeness with a hint of rebellion to raw power that is still evolving. I am attracted to contemporary subjects that draw my attention through a purposeful gaze and reproduce this persona through classic portraiture. I translate these images onto the canvas while incorporating abstract patterns, first with an under-drawing, and then with many layers of acrylic paint. I use direct large strokes, dripping techniques, layers of small strokes, and finger smudging until I reach the point that I feel the painting is complete. The resulting image is a hybrid of the original subject, my personal reflection, and the organic quality that is created during the process of painting.
