About Jamie
Bio
Jamie Orr is an abstract artist based in Rockaway Beach, New York. Following the completion of undergraduate studies in Psychology and Visual Arts, she obtained a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. After a 14-year career as a behavior analyst specializing in autism, Jamie became a full-time studio artist in 2021. Her work has been shown in group exhibitions throughout the Northeast, including South Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York. She is a member of Visionary Projects NY and studied under American abstract artist Ty Nathan Clark. The artist’s work is held in private collections across the US, Canada, England, Mexico, Germany, and Dubai.
Artist Statement
My work investigates the human condition’s complexities, particularly the dynamic between control and surrender. Each piece begins with a diluted layer of water and pigment. The unpredictable nature of these fluid layers simultaneously allows the unconscious into my work while opening possibilities for each decision that follows. My process is unplanned yet intentional, a quest to uncover truth, both in my work and within myself. I approach each piece as a conversation, allowing the work to reveal its own unique meaning through a slow process of reacting and responding to the composition. Like nature, my work is in perpetual flux, always transforming.
Experimentation is central to my process, which involves combining acrylic paint and organic materials such as limestone powder, sand, salt, seawater, and coffee grounds. Environmental conditions like temperature and humidity create surprising interactions and drying times in the materials I use. My work’s lack of rigid control fuels a perpetual journey of playful experimentation. As a result, my process is as much about reacting as it is about acting, allowing for a continual dialogue between myself and the painting.
Living on the coast, salt is infused in everything from the water to the air, which further affects how materials interact and ultimately dry, creating unique textural effects. Nature directly inspired my color palettes and texture, echoing weathered coastlines, intricate shells and rocks, and the ocean’s subtle hues. These natural influences, along with the organic processes of erosion, growth and decay, inform the overall feel of my paintings. My focus is on creating work that draws the viewer in, allowing them space for quiet contemplation and to discover their own personal connection between themselves and the natural world.