An Interview with Oil Painting Artist

Henry Jackman

 Click Here to View Henry's Paintings

Jo: 

     Henry, it is a pleasure to interview you. Ever since Jack shared your paintings with me I have been a big fan of your work. Where do you get your inspiration?

Henry: 

     First and foremost, I trust and boast upon God our Father, the Creator of the Universe, the God of the covenant of tender mercies and loving kindness, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yahweh’s election of grace also reached my heart through the blood of Jesus and resurrection power of Jesus, who saved me from eternal perdition. He is my calling, justification, sanctification and glorification.

     My quiet, though powerful inspiration, flows forth from my Proverbs 31 wife, without whom I could’ve never reached the tranquility and peaceful atmosphere under which I could’ve made progress. Be sure, she doesn’t spare me when something about my painting and composition is not right.

     Joanne, while I’m painting I listen to the word of God. I will, for instance, listen to the apostle Paul’s Letter to the Romans for a week or two, or any other Scripture which our Lord Jesus may be pleased to let me hear our everlasting Father in heaven’s voice.

     My mentor, Adriaan Boshoff, was a devoted child of God who always had the Bible open in his studio. About painting he said you must sit and look at the scenery which you want to paint for 2 hours before the real colors comes forward!

     This is how I feel about the Word of God, only after a few hours listening to one book of the Bible, I can hear the whisper of almighty Lord Jesus, and feel his heart beat!

     My inspiration must have started, like with all of us, at the conception which took place in our mothers’ wombs when the Spirit of Jesus blew all the virtues in us as our Great and Glorious Creator decided to endow us with.

     At about the age of 11, I started with and sketching and water color. My dad was the one exceptional great inspiration to stimulate me at that age when he noticed I have a gift by giving me an oil painting set. Then I found my everlasting love in the oils. One of my teachers placed an order to paint her something and another one taught me the dark and light accents and something about the lines in the composition.

     Sin, sicknesses and the devil tried in vain to mar what were given to us, but our risen Jesus was there all the time, even if I didn’t realize it during times of delinquency.

     Through the years, after graduation, I’ve neglected painting for 20 years, being occupied with my 4 years career as a policeman, 9 years as a theology student, 18 years as a missionary and pastor. During some of those years I painted for a few months, stopped, painted again for a few months, stopped for 5 years, then started painting more full time this last 5 years.

     Great inspiration also came, even since my primary school years, through my love for nature and outdoor life, which anyone will notice in my paintings. My work as a policeman, among the Zulu people and Missionary work among the Xhoza people in South Africa also left an lasting impression in my heart as it is displayed in my paintings. My special love for mountains is also irresistible.

     My inspiration also came from my mentor Adriaan Boshoff, The greatest impressionist in the southern hemisphere. He was our neighbor when I was about 11 years old and he was about 18. We didn’t have had much contact only that he saw one of my paintings and taught me the sunset colors: Prussian blue, Crimson lake and lemon yellow. Fifteen years later we also rubbed shoulders for an hour. Then 25 years later I’ve seen him 3 times in a few years, and then, before we came to America I’ve sat in his studio every Friday night for 2-3 months. I was on disability and felt so weak and down cast that I didn’t concentrate or learned much. He painted a little bit, but most of the time we talked about Jesus and prayed together. I’ll never forget that at on occasion when we were on our knees in his studio, he prayed: ‘Lord Jesus, teach Henry how to mix his colors.’

Jo: 

     One of the things I love about your work is the color schemes you use. It's a beautiful blend that speaks for itself. In one painting the soft coloring may convey to me a feel of being romanced by God's masterful artistry in nature. In another with richer tones I may feel a live and vivid awakening of the landscapes or objects within.

     What is it that you are trying to convey with the colors you choose?

Henry:

     The pervious paragraph answer my love for colors and the effect it brought forth in that sense my mentor taught me a few basic things.

     A).The focus point on the canvas must be at a third on the   right or left of your composition.

     B).The complimentary colors must cover the first layer of paint applied.

     C).You must apply dark colors first then the lighter accents.

     D).You must apply thick on thin.

     I’d love to comment on your sentence using the words being 'romanced by God’s masterful artistry in nature'.  It’s on this point that I fall into a deep depression and a feeling of impotency, because who can reflect his immaculate beauty in nature satisfactory?  This was the most beautiful description any body ever made about my paintings. You’re a genius!

     To illustrate what I want to convey, I must paint you this picture. I’ve had a neighborhood student friend student of 37 years ago, who studied for a pastor with me but turned out to be more a scientist, philosopher and theologian than a pastor.

     About 22 years ago he said in a mockingly way: ‘Henry, you’ve got a romantic idea about Jesus!’ He was 100% right, because I’m desperately in love with the Word, our Father in heaven, the Son, our lord Jesus, and the fellowship of the saints. He is most brilliant, but tragically this friend of mine became so liberal that he doesn’t believe, but openly and boldly, without blushing or shame, denies the birth of Jesus as flesh and blood, born out of a woman’s womb, consequently he denies Jesus physical resurrection and ascention with a physical resurrection body into heaven!

     My dad always called me a dreamer.

     I’m not ashamed to walk a romantic walk with Jesus and enjoy the beauty of the sounds, the colors, the fragrances, the shapes and forms found in his breathtaking creation and beautiful people. How beautiful and all together lovely and sweet must he be?