After eight years of commercial illustration, London began to lose its lustre and exploration beckoned. In 1996 a sad goodbye was waved to his London life – his first unrequited love – he was lured away by the sirens of travel, art and the unknown. To Europe, South East Asia and the Pacific.
Jared returned from his travels, and In 1999 made Brighton his home, where expressive attitudes escorted him towards creating his first body of work, and his first solo show, entitled ‘Seascape’ in 2003. The work was inspired by the tropical waters of his travels, the Cornish coast of his formative years, and the ever changing moods of the ocean. Paintings that reflected optimism and regret, abstract swathes of colour calling out, beckoning memories and reflection. This exhibition set the course for his new career as a painter, daubing over the residue of commercial illustration with big fat impasto strokes. At this time Jared undertook many private commissions, and exhibited in group shows nationally. He painted portraits and local landscape features, whilst experimenting with
figurative work within the landscape.In 2004 the opportunity to become a partner in a new bar/gallery was too good to turn down. ‘The Landscape of Life’ was offering a lock in. As the bar became a success, it required more and more attention and input, the painting slowed and was held hostage in the vault below, until the business was sold in 2006. The siren came calling again – Australia beckoned.
Queensland’s impact was immediate. Relaxed, almost brazen, Queensland exposed her underbelly, her cowboy culture and esoteric wildlife, and of course, Queensland revealed her trees, her magnificent Eucalypts. Transfixed, Jared became a ‘Tree Planter’ – grafting in the heat of the Australian landscape, working with reprobates, and meeting with emus and snakes. Between 2006 and 2007 Jared built up a body of new paintings, the faith upon which was held for his second solo show entitled ‘New Works – Paintings Inspired by the Australian Landscape’. Sales were slow, but planting trees allowed time for reflection. Some success arrived in 2007 when his painting ‘The Glove Collector’ was awarded the Waltzing Matilda ‘Spirit of the Outback’, national art prize – the $7,000 windfall was welcomed. The forestry work continued, the landscape was imbibed, and paintings were exhibited in Noosa and Brisbane. The chapter ended. Wonderful, wonderful Queensland.
Jared returned to the UK in 2008. Ten years of re-educating, rebuilding, painting, bar managing, labouring, rigging, erecting marquees and pimping up headphones have led Jared to his current role as a consultant Landscape Architect in the Cotswolds. For the last four years he has been studying an MA in Landscape Architecture – re-connecting with landscape through corridors of differing perspectives. New ways of seeing landscape, both as a consultant as well as an artist have opened up new doorways, inspiring new ideas and new approaches. Contrastive interaction with landscape, whether it urban or rural, fleeting or permanent; whether it in the Queensland forestry, or through experimental walking in cities, Jared’s work is galvanised by the landscape, in the physical and in the spiritual. No longer constrained by the necessity of commerce, so when not studying or consulting, Jared experiments with a variety of media in his Cheltenham studio, where he continues to map and explore the possibilities of ‘The Landscape of Life’ – with the loving support of his wife.