Hello,
My name is Jonathan (although most shorten it to Jon),the artist behind Gnarled Oak Art, and I am someone who builds.
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In a world of deconstruction, where “countercultural” has become culture, it takes courage to grow and create from a solid foundation. Creativity requires exploration, and exploration requires a base of operations for rest, supplies, and to provide a point of reference to navigate from. Without it, we can easily get lost in the vast space which the world of creative thinking occupies. Without it, we will deconstruct until we have nothing.
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And this is why I have decided to explore topics such as truth, beauty, joy, and peace in my art. From paintings, to furniture, to lamps, to sculptures, I place within my work elements that express deeper truths beyond my opinions or feelings. From this foundation, I have grown and developed as an artist.
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I always want my work to add to life and encourage others. To meet this goal, I always seek to make my art astatically pleasing, and even when I express the pain and difficulties of life, I include expressions of hope and healing.
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At this time, I am focusing on improving my painting skills. I’ve learned enough that a lot of people are impressed, but I still feel like a novice. Currently, I am learning to paint people from imagination. Hopefully, I’ll remember to update this section as I progress.
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One long term goal for my painting is to illustrate a short story I wrote called Shapur. It’s an allegory for how God saves, redeems, and gives us a new life and identity. I already have a written and audio version of it, but I do not yet have all the skills I need to illustrate it. If you haven’t haven’t read or listened to it, please check it out by clicking here.
