ARTIST STATEMENT

My parents escaped discrimination and death from Eastern Europe and immigrated to South Africa.  The irony was loaded as they came to a country where discrimination was the law of the land.

Thus I grew up.

What is there to say when various forms of racism pervade every aspect of daily life?  No matter the individual genetics, histories or geographical coincidence, is attraction and comfort to like and familiar about survival, or ingrained prejudice? Are socio-political and/or economic issues to blame? Using the weight of culture on the superficial for information, I hope to magnify the bittersweet nuances of human nature, paying loving tribute to the many issues and subjects.  Tools from my experience illustrate the truth, as I know it.

To eliminate fear of the foreign, unfamiliar or unknown, my work explores the many mediums that best reflect mans’ natural instincts.  In search of the ultimate markings that best describe the human spirit, our responsibility to one another and the well-being of this planet in the universe, I make art.

BIO
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1945, Jackie Nach trained as a Graphic Artist and worked in advertising and promotional design. She immigrated to the United States in 1973, where she resumed her studies in Fine Art through Boston University and the DeCordova Museum School while freelancing as a Graphic Designer, Interior Design and Promotional Consultant.

After moving to Los Angeles in 1977, she continued her studies in drawing, printmaking and photo etching at UCLA as well as figurative and non-objective abstract expressionist painting at the Brentwood Art Center. From 1993 – 1998, she established a studio in Weston, Connecticut where she lived and taught art for five years. During that time Ms Nach was a member of the Silvermine Guild of Artists, Art/place and on the Board of Trustees of the Silvermine Guild Arts Center.

In 1996 she received a ‘Women-of-South-Africa Achievement Award’ from the South African Consulate.  After returning to Los Angeles in 1998, she established her studio in Santa Monica, California.  She was a faculty member of the Brentwood Art Center where she introduced innovative methods of printmaking.

Jackie Nach has been a guest speaker on several television art documentaries.  She was Chairperson on the Board of Directors and Curator for ‘Sweet CHAIR-ity’ – Design House, the Venice Art Walk and on the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park.  She is an active member of FOCA (Fellows of Contemporary Art)& on the Boards of CTGA (Music Center Theatre Group Ass.), SCC NMWA (So. Calif. Chapter, National Museum of Women in the Arts) & USC Hillel Art Gallery.  Amongst many private collections, corporate collections include the Bank of America, Pillsbury Company and British Petroleum.