MAKING CONTEMPORARY ART CULTRAL

Hey everyone! My name’s Jack, and I’m so glad you made it here. I wanted to share a little bit about myself so we can get to know each other.

I think the best place to start is food. I know this is an art store, and I’d argue that food can be a medium for art, but that’s not why I bring it up. Since I was old enough to work at 14, I was surrounded by food and fortunate enough to have the opportunity to learn culinary skills professionally. As I’ve grown up and moved away from the profession, my love for food has shifted more towards eating than cooking. You might be reading this thinking, “Why is this guy babbling on about food? I thought he made art.” And you’d be right — but food was my gateway to experiencing culture. In my opinion, if you truly want to understand a community or a culture, one of the absolute best ways to do so is through their food.

As I gravitated out of professional kitchens, I went looking for something more. At the age of 20 (I’m 33 now), I took my savings, jumped on a plane on my own, and went to Amsterdam — not for the reasons you’re probably thinking… although I had already been there a five times before. This trip marked the start of my first solo travel experience. I travelled around Europe for roughly two months, jumping on trains, wandering, learning, experiencing, meeting people, and embracing it all until my money ran dry.

After that, I came back to England and settled in Manchester, where I dropped back into hospitality, this time front of house. It was around this time that I met my now-girlfriend, Laura, who’s a travel lover herself. We quickly moved in together and started saving for our next adventure: Southeast Asia. One day, we decided to jump on a plane together, destination Bangkok.

Now, I’m not going to go too deeply into the travel side — I don’t want this to turn into a travel blog — but I will say this was both the best and worst thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.

The best because the experiences, joy, and overwhelming sense of purpose I felt were unlike anything I’d ever known.

The worst because, at some point, it had to end.

An abrupt end indeed. Our travel through Southeast Asia came to an end because of COVID-19, and we were instructed by the UK government to return home. Of course, this was disappointing, but on the flip side, we were incredibly lucky to have been able to travel at all. Many people never get that opportunity, and it’s something I think about a lot. We’re not all in the same boat — we don’t all have the same opportunities or abilities.

That experience made me start thinking about how we could share our experiences with like-minded people in a more interesting and unique way. I eventually settled on visual art. I know this might seem a little strange — a chef choosing art? Let me give you a bit of context.

Over the years, my main pastimes were selling vintage clothing online and creating in Unreal Engine. For those who don’t know, Unreal Engine is software that, among other things, allows you to create games. Alongside this, I’d been developing skills in Photoshop and C++, combining them with my hobbies. With the release of generative AI, coupled with my experience in online e-commerce, I suddenly found a way to pursue something I’m genuinely passionate about.

So now you know a little about where I came from and how I got here. Let me tell you a bit about my process.

When I find an idea — whether it comes from learning about a culture or travelling and experiencing something I want to share — I need to turn it into a visual. As a generative artist, this is done using digital methods including AI. That does not mean “prompt and print.” That’s not how it works.

I like to take things beyond that and really push the limits of what can be achieved. For me, it’s about layering — using the tools at your disposal together to create something truly special. It’s about understanding the pros and cons of each tool, getting the best out of them, and then bringing everything together manually using traditional digital art methods like Photoshop to create a considered, intentional composition.