A happy story from 2017’s Jackson’s Open Painting Prize is Anna Jefferson’s, who after a 15 year break from painting had her painting ‘Child and Cat’ recognised in the Jackson’s Painting Prize longlist. The work – one of very few that she has created since picking up the paintbrush again – is striking thanks to the sophisticated handling of the paint which is laid on in an array of different ways – thin washes against thick impasto scumbles; passages of transparent luminosity against bold opaque hues (‘Girl and Cockatiel’ below is another recent work, the rest of the images in this post are over 10 years old). Jefferson’s use of colour is alluring; the figures in shades of white, yellow and grey against a boldly coloured background of reds blues and greens. The emotional intensity and painterliness of Bonnard lives on.
Lisa: Can you tell us your artistic background – did you go to art school and how long have you been painting?
Anna: I did my Fine Art Painting degree at West Surrey College of Art and Design. I then went on to do the postgraduate painting course at the Royal Academy.
Lately I have been doing more oils on canvas. This follows bringing up a family, which includes some years living and travelling in South East Asia.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 51 x 41 cm
Lisa: The colours are so striking in ‘Child and Cat’ – how do you decide what colours should go where when you are painting?
Anna: When concentrating hard on the subject matter, the colours that come to mind are almost a subconscious train of thought. I follow this through in the painting.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 147 x 117 cm
Lisa: Can you tell us a bit about the process of making ‘Child and Cat’ – how you went about developing the composition and what materials you used, any obstacles you faced?
Anna: ‘Child and Cat’ was painted in oils on canvas. My daughter, older now, has always loved animals and the composition shows this connection. I felt challenged to make the subject painterly without too much sentiment or cliche’.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 38 x 46 cm
Lisa: Are there any recurring themes in your work?
Anna: My work has always been quite landscape orientated. However, since having a family, I perhaps sense a more figurative element creeping in as well.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 154 x 128 cm
Lisa: Do you ever work in any other medium other than oils?
Anna: As far as painting goes, oils as a medium have always completely answered my needs.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 61 x 61 cm
Lisa: What do you love most about working in oils and do you have a favourite brand?
Anna: When I think of oils, their total ‘versatility’ comes to mind, from thin washes to the thickest impasto. This I love and make use of. I normally work with Spectrum but mainly because I have been familiar with it since art college. I would honestly be happy with any competitive quality brand that sold oils and mediums in big sizes!
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 58 x 71 cm
Lisa: Can you describe a typical working day in your studio?
Anna: A typical painting day (ideally) must have no other commitments or distractions. Then it’s simple: I can allow myself to just completely zone in to what I am working on for a few hours. This usually includes very short breaks, in order to return to the canvas with fresh eyes.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 150 x 188 cm
Lisa: What aspects of ‘Child and Cat’ are you most pleased with?
Anna: I think most pleasing for me are the balance of the strong diagonals of the composition, against the back-drop of intense colour.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 98x64cm
Lisa: What are you working on at the moment?
Anna: Earlier in the year I was in Warsaw. I am planning to paint a cold cityscape from my drawings and memories of that experience.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 127 x 102cm
Lisa: Where online or in the flesh can we view more of your work?
Anna: I am setting up a website, initially showing mostly older works, including collections where some are held. To this I hope to add as I go.
Anna Jefferson
Oil on canvas, 90 x 114 cm
Header Image: ‘Child and Cat’ by Anna Jefferson, Oil on canvas, 105cm x 105cm
4 thoughts on “Colour as Emotion: An Interview with Painter Anna Jefferson”
What gorgeous work, and a thoughtful
interview!
Thanks for reading and your kind words.
Please convey to Anna how pleased we
are she has taken up her brushes
again. We continue to enjoy
“Historical Interior” bought from the
RA final year show (1990?) It hangs
on our living room wall and still
intrigues us. Well done for this
exhibition.
How lovely to read this comment. I shall certainly let Anna
know.
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