Stay Then Go

It is our great pleasure to share here young artist Jimmy Reagan’s work. Please see below for his bio and an artist statement. Enjoy!

Blue Cat, Oil Pastel on Paper, 2011

Jimmy Reagan was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota on July 6th, 1993.  He is the middle of 5 children and has autism. He currently lives in Mendota Heights, Minnesota.

Jimmy loves the Dutch Masters, Impressionism and Cubism. Renown artists, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Matisse, and Picasso inspire and fuel his imagination.  He works mainly in oil pastels, colored pencils, pen and paint to create single and multi-media pieces.

Jimmy style is both distinct and uniquely his own.  He creates short, colorful lines he defined as ‘tick marks”. These “tick marks” permeate his art and characterize his style.  Jimmy recently visited a Van Gogh at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, sparking a greater evolution in his art.  He borrows Van Gogh’s characteristic thick paint and translates it into more dense color in his pieces.  Jimmy’s perception of the world is extraordinary; he lives in a bold world full of color and beauty, his art offers a window into that world.

Jimmy’s favorite subjects are portraits and landscapes. He is particularly drawn to Van Gogh.  Jimmy seems to share Van Gogh’s understanding of movement and nature’s beauty reflected around him. When viewing Jimmy’s portraits, notice that the subject is always looking the viewer straight in the eye. This is particularly interesting given that for those with autism, including Jimmy, making eye is mostly illusive. Jimmy makes eye contact with people when he is intent on communicating with them.

He is deeply inspired by these noted artists as he infuses his own style and perspective into iconic works.  The viewer is truly transported into Jimmy’s world, genuinely experiencing the world as he understands it.  His world is one of bold color, imagination, and beauty which blend to express a sincere celebration of life and the world we live in.

Rooster, Colored Pencil, Pen and Oil Pastel on Paper, 2011

Queen Anne, Colored Pencil and Pen on Paper, 2010

 

Water Lilies, 2008, 15 x 20 inches, mixed media on paper

Dietrich Sieling lives in Minneapolis and is a full-time artist. He was born in 1988 and diagnosed with autism when he was three.

Inspirations for Dietrich’s work include calligraphy, a fascination with animals both scary and beloved – dogs and owls were (and are) terrifying, while kudus, zebras, and giraffes are beloved. Friends, family and self are also important subjects – drawn with special attention. Also providing great inspiration are fellow artists and musicians Jim Denomie, Angelena and Korla Luckeroth, Michael Gaughan (Brother and Sister, Ice Rod) Markus Lunkenheimer (Skoal Kodiac) Andy Fritz, (Tender Meat) and Melodious Owl.

His aspirations include buying the old New French Cafe building, installing a spraying hose, and painting the floors with zebra and giraffe patterns.

He is represented by the Bockley Gallery.

From Shelli Ainsworth, writer/director.

STAY THEN GO is interested in presenting the work of artists who are on the autism spectrum.

STAY THEN GO is a feature film project that presents a young autistic man who, at an early age, finds a way to celebrate and express his unique point of view through making art. This character is inspired by my son, Dietrich Sieling, who is a young artist with complex autism. Dietrich’s work demonstrates and reminds me and many others, daily, of the power, integrity, and beauty which comes from a singular personal vision, and the desire and commitment to express that.  We know, through the depth and breadth of the internet, that there are many powerful artists who are on the autism spectrum. We would very much like to provide another outlet for featuring this work. If you yourself are an artist, or if you know someone who is, we would love to hear from you! We encourage artists of all ages to submit work. We plan to feature an artist per week (or per month depending on the interest and amount of submissions). Please send us electronic copies of your work (please submit jpg between 150k and 1.5MB, your contact information, an artist statement (if you like) and a bio. We look forward to hearing from you and to seeing your work.