Jason Fairchild is an international fine artist based in Youngstown, OH, USA, known for his dynamic large-scale abstract paintings. His work bursts with bold colors and expressive brushstrokes, creating immersive compositions that evoke movement, energy, and emotion.Drawing inspiration from the raw spontaneity of abstract expressionism, Fairchild uses sweeping gestures and layered textures to bring his canvases to life. His pieces reflect a deep exploration of color theory and form, often blurring the line between chaos and harmony.Fairchild’s work has been exhibited in galleries across the U.S. and internationally, gaining recognition for its vibrant intensity and emotional depth. His paintings have been featured in various art publications and collections, attracting collectors and art enthusiasts alike.Currently, Fairchild continues to push the boundaries of abstraction, experimenting with new techniques and scale to further amplify the visual impact of his work.

As an international artist based in the US, my work is a dynamic exploration of color, texture, and form, reflecting the ever-evolving nature of human experience. Through abstraction, I seek to capture emotions, memories, and the subtle interplay between chaos and harmony. Each piece is a visual dialogue, inviting the viewer to find their own meaning within the layers of movement and expression.

Inspired by diverse cultural influences and personal experiences, my creative process is intuitive, allowing spontaneity to shape the outcome. I embrace the unpredictable, using color and composition to evoke a sense of depth, energy, and transformation. My work is not just about what is seen, but what is felt—a bridge between the tangible and the intangible.

Art, to me, is a universal language, and my goal is to create work that resonates across borders, sparking connection and introspection.

1. You’re currently based in Youngstown, OH, and lived in Chicago almost 30 years, but your work has traveled far beyond its borders. How did your journey into art begin? Was there a defining moment that led you to pursue painting seriously?

I’ve always been drawn to creative expression, but my journey into painting was more of an evolution than a single defining moment. Chicago shaped me—its grit, its history, the energy of the people. Being surrounded by a city that has so much visual and cultural texture pushed me to see beyond the obvious. Art was never just about making something pretty; it was about pushing limits, challenging ideas, and honoring what came before while doing something new. The decision to fully commit to painting wasn’t a choice; it was a necessity.

2. How would you describe your artistic philosophy in your own words?

I’m not here to repeat what’s been done. Everything I create is rooted in respecting the past but never recreating it. There’s a responsibility in being an artist—to contribute something fresh, to push forward while acknowledging where we come from. My work exists in that space—bridging tradition with an insatiable need to experiment, to break form, to make people feel something unexpected.

3. What draws you to abstraction specifically, and what do you think it allows you to express that other styles or mediums may not?

Abstraction is freedom. It’s a dialogue between the unknown and the deeply familiar. It lets me express things that words fail to capture—the chaos, the rhythm, the emotion of a moment. Unlike representational art, where the viewer is given a clear subject, abstraction allows for interpretation, for connection on a subconscious level. It’s more about feeling than seeing.

4. What role does emotion play in your creative process, and how do you channel it through color, gesture, and texture?

Emotion drives everything. I paint with movement, with weight. The colors I choose are never random; they’re a response to something internal—rage, joy, nostalgia. The textures, the layering, the scraping away of paint—it’s all a process of excavation. Sometimes, what’s beneath the surface is more important than what’s on top.

5. Many of your paintings feel like they are caught in motion. Do sound or other sensory influences play a role in how you paint?

Absolutely. Sound, movement, even the way light shifts in a room—it all plays a role. Music, in particular, is a huge influence. I often paint to Joy Division to jazz or experimental soundscapes because they allow for an unpredictability that mirrors my process. The rhythm dictates the gestures, the flow of the brush, the force of the strokes.

6. Color seems to play a powerful role in your work. How do you approach color theory in your compositions, and what’s your relationship with bold palettes?

Color is language. It sets the tone, the tension. I don’t follow rigid color theory rules; instead, I react instinctively. Bold palettes have a way of confronting the viewer, forcing them to engage rather than passively observe. But it’s not just about brightness—contrast, depth, and the way colors interact with texture are just as important. Sometimes, the absence of color speaks the loudest.

7. You’ve mentioned cultural influences and personal memories as sources of inspiration. Could you share one personal experience that found its way into a painting, even in an abstract form?

There was a piece I did after a visit to Chicago, walking through areas I used to frequent, now changed. That experience—seeing the erasure of history, yet also the emergence of something new—found its way into my work through layers of built-up paint, then partially scraped away. It was a conversation between past and present, permanence and impermanence. That’s how memory works, right? It’s layered, shifting, sometimes clear, sometimes distorted.

8. Your work is very physical—large scale, gestural, layered. How does your body engage with the canvas? Do you see painting as a performance in some way?

It’s absolutely physical. I move with the paint. I step back, I attack the canvas, I shift direction when the piece demands it. It’s not a passive process. There’s a performance aspect, but not in the sense of spectacle—it’s about engagement. The canvas doesn’t just receive; it pushes back, challenges me. It’s a conversation.

9. You’re currently exploring new techniques and playing with scale. Can you tell us more about what you’re experimenting with right now? What challenges or surprises have come up?

Lately, I’ve been drawn to incorporating unconventional materials, disrupting traditional surfaces. I’m exploring ways to merge digital with physical, finding new ways to challenge the definition of painting itself. One of the biggest surprises is how much the act of destruction—tearing, burning, erasing—can create something even more powerful than the initial mark-making. It’s all about breaking expectations.

10. As an artist pushing the boundaries of abstraction, what does ‘evolution’ mean to you in your practice? How do you know when it’s time to shift, expand, or break your own rules?

Evolution is everything. If I ever feel too comfortable, too predictable, that’s the signal to change. Art is about risk. If I’m not pushing myself to the point of uncertainty, I’m not evolving. That doesn’t mean abandoning what came before, but rather building upon it, twisting it, finding new angles. The moment I feel I’ve mastered something is the moment I move on to something else. Growth happens in discomfort.