Painter Considers Work an Act of Worship

Painter Jack Mckenzie is used to seeing his work hanging up for art lovers to see and for the month of May, the  is playing host to his work. The Paramus-based oil painter said that he has been painting since he was a kid and he credits his interest in art to coming from an artistic family.

“There is definitely an artistic stream in the entire family,” said Mackenzie in a telephone interview. “My brother was a painter.”

However, his main inspiration came from the old PBS television show “The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross” said Mckenzie.

“When I saw him, I thought, ‘I could do that’ and so I started. Those first few attempts I did were bad but as I continued to practice I got better.”

Mckenzie explains that his work is mostly landscapes with an item of central focus.

“When I first start out, I look for a particular landscape and I will photograph it,” said Mckenzie. “I choose a picture it has to be anchored by a particular item.”

As he paints he will first paint the background such as the barn in the picture. After he has painted that, he will paint a black square, wait for it to dry and he will then paint the bridge he said. After that he will paint the fence and road in the same way.

“I will paint three to four paintings every two weeks,” he said. “I will paint a portrait as a wedding gift and the feedback I get has been amazing.”

He said that for him painting is an act of worship. Mckenzie said that he believes his work is his way of communing with God.

“Much the same way that some musicians will play music or a writer will write a book, they explain how they are close to God, I feel close to God when I am able to paint,” he said. He said that using his artwork is a form of ministry.

His goal with his work is to give people a place a landscape to view to get away from the stresses and challenges of everyday life. His work can be considered a visual vacation.

There is an artistic tream in the entire family and my brother paint and I startred watching Bob Ross and the first few tries and were bad and got better and but this in since I consider an act of worship and everyone’s talent is what has God has given…some people do writing and it is an act of worship each. 

“I am amazed at who is into my work,” he said. “At my blog, I sell magnets, key chains and notecards and I had one person from France order my portrait of a Spanish Café as a refrigerator magnet.”

He further explained that according to his blog stats, besides persons from the Western world viewing his work, art lovers from Iran and China are viewing his blog and his work.

“You just never know where your work will end up,” he said. “It can end up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Franklin Lakes Library. Either way I am happy people get to see it.”

For more information, visit Jack Mckenzie’s blog here.