21 Under 31 – 2023 | Jackson Wrede, 27
MICHIGAN

Jackson Wrede, 27

Gillian, oil on linen, 30 x 40.

Thirst, oil on canvas, 24 x 48.

Style: I like to sprinkle in a bit of everything—portraiture, pop, landscape, still life, collage, maybe even a little abstraction every now and then. My work embraces the plurality of contemporary painting with a recurring theme of realism.

Creative Spark: I just think of what Chuck Close said. “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.”

Art Education: I got my BFA in painting from the University of Notre Dame in 2018 and my MFA in painting from the Kendall College of Art & Design in 2021.

Best Art Advice Received: It’s a tie between “painting is easy—you’ve just gotta put the right color in the right place,” or “painting happens on the palette; not the canvas.”

Favorite Studio Music: To be honest, I have YouTube videos playing most of the day and I’m more of a podcast guy. If I’m cranking the tunes though it’s probably classic rock or low-fi beats that you can just zone out to.

Favorite Work by Another Artist: I am sure if you asked me tomorrow I would have a different response. But I’m gonna shake things up and go with For the Love of God by Damien Hirst for today’s answer.

Artistic Goals: It’s not really one of those goals you can control, but if one of my paintings is ever stolen from a museum in a heist, that would be pretty epic. I guess that’s kinda what I’m going for.

Other Passions: I’m a gym bro, I’ve got some cast iron skills in the kitchen, and I have never met someone who is a bigger fan of mixed martial arts than I am.

Price Range: $1,000-$10,000

Contact Information: jacksonwrede.com