$300

Fibonacci's Donut oil on canvas 12 x 12 framed Jay Mercado: I work large. My intention is to impact a space, to impel the passerby, the loiterer, the traveler, to give more than a glance, to take a chance, to view a subject in a new light, make a connection, and be moved. A grand, imposing gesture is meant to give one pause. I cut my teeth painting for two mural studios in Los Angeles. As a budding muralist, I was on teams assigned to paint scenes for Las Vegas luxury hotels; panoramic vistas that would let visitors from all over the world experience a bit of ancient Roman history, tour the magic of Egypt, and imagine they are on a beach in the middle of a desert of dreams. This was technical work, really, and proved to be invaluable in building my skills for realism, multiple styles, depth, light, and scale. Ready to build my art career solo, I moved back to my hometown of San Francisco, where I was a hardworking artist for twenty-seven years. Most of my artwork is inspired by the world around me, the things I see and touch and experience as a member and observer of the diverse, innovative, beautiful and frighteningly fast-moving world. My wife, Teresa, and I recently crossed the country looking for a new base, a new home, a new art studio. After decades in my hometown San Francisco it was time. The search required calm, clear exploring after an emotional departure. Resourceful and resilient is the hallmark of most artists and yet most do not leave a successful working studio to begin again in an unknown place. The journey was long and the adventure continues even as I have found my new base in southern New Hampshire. Establishing oneself in a new land requires tapping into all of my inner resilience and belief in the possible. Unknown to me at the time, I’ve landed in a remarkably cultural area and have hit the ground running and painting. Without risk nothing truly creative happens. Mountains do not climb themselves. Big waves don’t surf themselves. And bold and beautiful paintings do not paint themselves. By peeling away the unnecessary layers, we expose our true essence and create a clear path for artwork to emerge. The adventure continues.