Saxon JJ Quinn is a self-taught mixed media artist interested in the rough, the worn and the resilient. Born in country Victoria, Saxon spent his childhood surrounded by creativity. His artist mother tied a basket to the ceiling of her studio where, as a baby, he would swing while she worked. As he grew older, he began sketching, painting, and experimenting with clay, at times accidentally defacing her works in the process.

After studying Communication Design and building his career in Melbourne, Saxon moved to New York City, immersing himself in the city and its urban patina. The beauty he found in the aged and weathered elements were cemented as the foundation of his creative work, and painting became the outlet.

Now, from his studio in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Saxon primarily uses canvas, graphite, and paint, layering hues, symbols, and textures to create works that sway from the intentional to the unrestrained, the minimalist to the uninhibited. Each piece bears meaningful motifs alongside elements of mischievous humour, with each mark representing an aspect of his life. These marks are arranged precisely to induce a sensory effect, where a calming constellation can be found in a world of perceived chaos.

“My works are much more organic in terms of how I approach them now. I've allowed myself to free-up a lot more with how I paint, encouraging mistakes and errors within the works to give each piece its own authentic language and presence.

For a long time, I had a lot of hesitation in this, I felt that I was an imposter amongst other artists and that I didn't deserve or wasn't yet good enough to paint freely.”