J.M.Lamoreux
Artist Statement:

I went from traditional art tools, to using the computer, growing up with the digital world from the late 1980’s to now. In the beginning simple pen strokes on the computer would pause a lot because of slower processors. Today, you can create a picture with the same dexterity and swiftness as traditional tools. In the beginning you had roughly pixilated products. Now the brush strokes aren’t discernable on the monitor from those in the traditional mediums. I use the computer because it opens up worlds that before, I had to struggle to achieve. When the dust settles on what I’ve accomplished, I hope that people see just how powerful a creative force the computer can be, far beyond the simple uses they discover with office brochures, newsletters, and joke art.

My pieces are influenced by artists like Matisse, Chagall, and Picasso. I try to imbue my work with the sort of dexterity and freedom so common to their art. I use scanned textures, various pen and paint brush combinations bundled with Painter, Photoshop, and Illustrator. My figures are lively, powerful, and often archetypal. Much of what I do is influenced by my background in Intaglio printing.

My work has taken many evolutionary courses. I want to use it to illustrate literature, adorn walls and ceilings of great buildings, and create a sense of spiritual presence in people exposed to my work. I am drawn to the wild, child-like quality of naieve art. When people look at what I do, I’m rewarded when they smile. That’s when I know that what I tried to say was communicated the way I intended.

Biography:

I was born in Los Angeles in 1949 to Charles and Dorothy Lamoreux. Throughout school I dabbled in art but never aggressively pursued it. In 1968 I went into the military and months later were shipped to Vietnam. In the 70’s I took art classes at Golden West Junior College and got an Associates in Fine Art. In college I was able to get a small scholarship, and produced a lot of Intaglio prints that were occasionally exhibited at the school. Once I left that environment I preoccupied myself with earning a living. Art took a back seat in my life until much later.

In the late 1980’s I went to work for the Bureau of Land Management. From there I got a job with the United States Geological Survey. With the USGS I learned electronic publication and how to use software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and various other electronic publishing tools. I learned to work with printer vendors and create professional end products.

Today I am retired and work from my home. I have constantly updated software and a 42” inkjet plotter for large size work printed on canvas and stretched. I am working on a body of work that someday I will be satisfied with.  I’m confident that my style is unique and evolving in ways that promise some exciting results. Computers and software are developing daily, giving artists a freer hand at being able to create in this new medium. My goal is to be at the cutting edge of this burgeoning movement.

The pencil work took about five hours. The tinting took about an hour. Then I did some cloning, smudges, and color manipulation. The top file shows deep coloration while the bottom one shows tints and line work.

I have attempted to recapture the "feel" of the prints below that I did in college many years ago.