Times of transition–a big move, a new baby, quitting a job–are often exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. These oil paintings by Michelle Jader are a visual metaphor for that inevitable tumble through everyday living. Jader says her work “explores moments when we willingly and unwillingly dive into the next phase of our lives. These critical times of life contain a universal feeling of loss of control, time moving forward, and hurtling through space.” This collection, entitled Leaps and Bounds, features figures bursting from the canvas with courageous energy.
To create this depth, Jader paints oil on sheets of semi-transparent acrylic panels and then layers them together to produce the final product. Viewers can see the natural blend of the hazy past mixing with the crisp, clear main figure. Before painting, the artist performs extensive research by studying subjects' bodies and movement as they jump on a trampoline. Based on that observation, Jader develops images that accurately depict the natural form of a person who is floating and falling through the air, the people who have taken the leap and who are facing the adventures of life as they come.
