The delectably layered paintings of Australian artist, Jordan Kerwick

With no website, only artist Jordan Kerwick’s Instagram is available to scroll through his multi-layered paintings, full to the brim with texture. 

On speaking Jordan it turns out he only began painting a year ago: “I started painting in February 2016 after thinking (ridiculously) that it couldn’t be too hard”, the artist tells It’s Nice That. “I was badly mistaken. It has been a short but fun (and head-fucking) journey that hopefully will continue for years to come.” Despite this initial difficulty with painting, the artist displays a natural talent, and Jordan’s colour choices convey his courage as a painter. His palette is muted in areas, dark greens, a rich red or tawny mixes of yellow and brown, each intermixed with organic style. 

Although born and raised in Melbourne Jordan has a global pool of connections with painters in a similar artistic vein. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have made friends with some seriously good artists through Instagram,” the artist explains. “Francisco Moreira from Portugal, Spencer Shakespeare from the UK, Kimia Kline in the USA, Shaun Ellison in South Africa and Justin Williams and Sally Bourke based in Australia also.” Each of these artists help one another out, “they have been incredibly generous with their time and advice that has helped me along the way.” 

Jordan is represented by the Anna Zorina Gallery, New York, and sells his artworks through Small Spaces Gallery in Australia. By day, the artist is an education consultant, who finds time to paint once his two sons have gone to bed. In terms of influences Jordan sights Matisse, who “really is the master, closely followed by Helen Frankenhalter and Tal R”. Additionally, Jordan gains “a lot of inspiration from music, listening to a lot of Sylford Walker, Brian Jonestown Massacre and Agnes Obel. I also love reading Camus and Thompson”. Each of these artistic influences create paintings with a rich context, which in turn are delectably pleasing on the eye.