At 17, artist E.E. Jacks knew she wanted to be a working artist. Finding leftover house paint and brushes from the garage one day, she started to paint. “I began doing these small abstract paintings, slivers really, and I couldn’t stop. I had all these ideas of what I wanted to do and knew I wanted to do more. This was it. I felt compelled to paint,” said Jacks. “I simply had to do it to satisfy something, to satiate something. It was a realization; this is what I would do with my life.”

“My heritage is a mix of French and Spanish. We spoke both languages in my home,” said Jacks. These varied cultures were a part of growing up, which formed and continues to influence her painting. Jacks learned that her ancestors were artists. “I discovered that I had a great uncle, Gonzalo Elosequi, who was a Latin American artist in the era of Diego Rivera. Additionally, I had several ancestor cousins who were French painters.”

Having decided to pursue painting, Jacks forged her path and searched local communities to learn what art was being shown. “In the early days, I would find various places and events to show my work. The first gallery where I exhibited was Gallery 212 in Seal Beach in 2009. I remember it well because I sold the initial piece to a little girl. It was just a small painting, but it made me happy that it resonated with her,” said Jacks.

She continued to exhibit her work in other southern California cities, including Los Angeles, Norwalk (where she had her first solo show), and Santa Ana, ultimately landing in Fullerton as an artist in the Magoski Arts Colony, which was a significant player in the local art scene and home to a group of working artists.

Jacks explained, “Fullerton was an amazing place for an artist. There was the Magoski Arts Colony, including Violet Hour, Hibbleton, and Pas Galleries, and we were all doing work that bridged and brought each other closer. I had a small space among the other artists. There, I opened my gallery, Apero, where we held juried and open-call exhibits. While it was challenging to curate and for each exhibit to hang up to 50 pieces, I loved the time at the colony; it was magical.”

Jacks admires and is influenced by other artists and art movements, past and present. Her list of artists includes Berthe Morisot, Gustavo Courbet, John Constable, and abstract artists Cy Twombly and Helen Frankenthaler. For Jacks, the exploration aspect of her work is vital. “When you stop exploring, you stop learning new things, and your work can stagnate. My ideology as an artist is that stagnation is death.” Her art manifests the desire to express how she wishes to see the world or the true reality of life. She paints what she feels. Her advice to artists beginning this journey is not to hang their hat on inspiration, just paint.

Jacks is also an accomplished poet and has published several poetry volumes. “I think very poetically about my work, but I write and paint. Sometimes, I will see a piece and instantly think of a poem I’ve written, but they are created at different times.”

E. E. Jacks is a working artist who continues to inspire. Visit her website http://www.eejacks.com to learn about upcoming shows and exhibits.

You will also find her paintings at Quorum Gallery in Laguna Beach, Tirage Fine Art Gallery in Carlsbad, and online at Over the Moon Gallery at http://www.overthemoongallery.com.

Over the Moon Gallery is an online art gallery featuring works from various artists. Some featured local artists E. E. Jacks, Teri Gammalo, Marie Lavallee, Leslie Lambert, Shaney Watters, Lauralyn Eschner, Kate Jarvik Birch, and Bob Hogue.