Artist Bio

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Jack Clayton is an illustrator / printmaker from London who specialises in the medium of woodcut printmaking. He relief prints his blocks by hand and often uses the reduction method, as well as water colour painting to add multiple layers of colour from a single block of wood. Whilst studying for his degree in Graphic Arts and design at Leeds Metropolitan University he was introduced to the art of woodcut for the first time in his final year before graduating in 2009. 

In 2010 he left the UK and spent 2 years travelling and working around Australia before venturing over to South East Asia. Whilst in Australia he drew inspiration from the indigenous art of Northern Australia, particularly around Kakadu national park where he lived and worked as well as the urban melting pot of Melbourne which became a second home. Finally, residing in Ho Chi Minh City after an extensive trip around South East Asia he has been creating art inspired by his new environment ever since.

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His main body of work has been looking at modern Vietnamese culture and traditions he experiences whilst living in Ho Chi Minh City, illustrating them for himself and others to gain a better understanding of the environment around them. His recent series ‘Streets of Vietnam’ is ongoing and draws inspiration from the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hoi An. Popular sights such as street sellers, children’s games, cafes, drinking culture expressions and sayings all play apart with an aesthetic quality drawing inspiration from traditionally hand painted shop signs, geometric floor tiles and many others. 

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Woodcut printmaking has been Jack's main medium for the past 10 years but he also creates complex, detailed illustrations based on entire cities. Since living in Vietnam he has travelled to the specialist Dong Ho Painting villages in the north and tries to include locally sourced / made materials where possible. He also takes great inspiration from Japanese ukiyo-e and German expressionist prints.

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Artist Statement

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‘I see myself predominantly as a woodcut printmaker who focuses on experimentation to create unique and eye-catching work. I enjoy mixing the inks to create my own blends of colour and utilising different carving methods in order to move away from the traditional aesthetic. My work is usually character based and I enjoy breaking these figures down whilst finding forms and natural patterns to manipulate and create illusions that trick the eye.’

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Contact - clayton_art@live.com

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