Artist Statement

    As a painter, I'm inspired by the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. As a New Orleans native impacted by Hurricane Katrina, I was very moved by the thousands who lost lives, family or belongings. And with the increasing abundance of such natural disasters, as well as man-made ones, I feel constantly challenged to find glimmers of hope in these struggles, and to paint them as realistically and with as much compassion as possible. With respect to these themes, I find inspiration in painters like Rembrandt, Gericault and Mancini and modern masters such as Steven Assael, Max Ginsburg and Odd Nerdrum. I believe art has the power to move people and that the most effective, beautiful and truthful way to do that is through realism.

Biography

Jonathan Hodge is a New Orleans-based painter and teacher. His themes often reflect the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity, perhaps best illustrated by his painting of Hurricane Katrina that devastated his hometown of New Orleans. He believes not only in the power of art, but its ability to move people. Jonathan earned his BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), specializing in painting, drawing and art history. While at CCAD, he also studied under the head anatomist of a cadaver lab at a neighboring university where he learned anatomy first-hand and performed dissections. In 2014, Jonathan relocated to Seattle the next year to study classical painting and drawing with Juliette Aristides at Gage Academy of Art. He has presented his artwork at the 7th International Conference on the Arts in Society in the U.K. and had his work featured in American Art Collector Magazine, Realism Today and the Art Renewal Center. Jonathan has exhibited work at the Haynes Galleries, the Maryhill Museum and the Figure|Ground Gallery and has work in numerous public and private collections including the Aslan Foundation, The Columbus Club, and that of Phyllis Ohrbeck and Carlos Madrid. He is currently teaching painting and drawing at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts.