Artist Statement & Resume
Edward has always been intrigued by portraiture and people’s expressions. As someone who has struggled with anxiety, painting portraits has become a unique way for him to build connections with people.
Edward’s work explores themes of human behaviour and body language. He draws inspiration from people in paintings, photographs and films to reflect on how they are portrayed and perceived.
Photographing people serves as a memory of how they expressed themselves. We can never completely understand why people express themselves the way they do, but it’s this uncertainty that drives him to paint who they are.
The process of turning these photographs into paintings, offers a deeper, layered understanding of them, beyond what’s possible in a small conversation and quick sketch. He starts to learn more about their body language, expressions, gestures and feelings.
Edward approaches each artwork like a scene from a film, a tableau that invites the viewer to look deeper. He is less concerned with painting the exact likeness of them and more focused on expressively portraying someone. ‘I trust my instincts when a painting feels right, even if it’s not 100% accurate.’
There is comfort in being a loosely realistic artist. It’s almost a reflection of how Edward lives. Neat, organised, structured but also emotional, raw and imperfect.
He holds onto modern methods when preparing a canvas but uniquely combines his contemporary style and knowledge into the artmaking process. Edward primarily paints with brushes and palette knives, gradually building from thin strokes to controlled, impasto marks. He finds a way to sculpt the portrait where each mark starts talking to one another.
Edward Jack Humphrey is an alumnus of the renowned National Art School, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, and has furthered his expertise with a Certificate IV in Arts and Cultural Administration from TAFE NSW. His notable achievements include being selected for the prestigious 2018 Salon des Refusés, becoming a finalist in the 2020 Archibald Portrait Prize, and earning recognition in the 2021 Bluethumb Art Prize.