Artists Statement
My work reflects my interest in the process, where the act of creation becomes as essential as the outcome. Through layering, carving, and mark-making, I explore how materials and methods can evoke connections between humans, nature, and the universal. “
Jami Nix Rahn's art is genre-defying, encompassing a wide range of materials, including sculpture, works on paper, and paintings that range from hyper-realism to abstraction. Her oil and cold wax paintings often feature intricate layering and explore the tension between ephemeral beauty and environmental permanence. From vast, textured landscapes to evocative portraits, Jami crafts images that invite contemplation on our delicate web of existence.
Jami's artistic journey is characterized by constant change and adaptation. Raised in a military family, she developed a profound sensitivity to place, identity, and transformation. Her early training began in Europe, where she apprenticed under master artisans in stone carving and bronze casting in Portugal. Influenced by notable sculptors like Alberto Giacometti, Auguste Rodin, and Henry Moore, these experiences greatly impacted her approach to form, space, and the dynamic capacity of art, which continue to inform her painting style.
She furthered her practice in Geneva, Switzerland, and São Paulo, Brazil, before returning to the U.S. While living in New York, Jami pursued portraiture in pastels and oils under the guidance of master artist Daniel E. Greene, PSA, NA, AWS. She refined her skills at the Manhattan Art Students League, studying with Richard C. Pionk and John Hultberg. Jami earned her BFA in painting from Florida Atlantic University.
While living in South Florida, Jami's work responded to the arrival of Art Basel Miami Beach and the vibrant urban art scenes of the Wynwood district. This engagement led to the development of a hyper-realistic series of paintings characterized by spontaneity and bold colors. After settling in the Vail Valley, her work evolved into large-scale oil paintings, driven by nature's intricate patterns. These works, which hover between modernist lyrical and abstract expressionism, draw inspiration from the majestic Rockies and explore the delicate web of connections in nature. Her series "Fragile Nature" and "Echoes of Time" examine the fragile balance between human intervention and the natural world.
Jami has exhibited in museums and galleries across the U.S. and internationally, with her works included in public and private collections worldwide.
