Jas Streten Profile

Artist Statement

The dynamic connection between our emotions and perception of the world fascinates me. Through my work, I encourage viewers to contemplate this intricate interplay, prompting them to reflect on their own sense of place. Each piece is crafted with the intention of inviting people to revisit it multiple times, offering them the opportunity to discover something new with each viewing.

I paint in acrylic, chalk and ink on canvas, paper and MDF. When creating each image, I incorporate different textures and finishes to represent the physical world and provide the viewer with more than colour and shape to place themselves

About Jas

On being diagnosed with epilepsy in 2007 and finding himself unemployed Jas found time to draw. Art is one of the tools he uses to manage his mental health and the day to day challenges of dealing with his epilepsy.

A video of Jas's experience of epilepsy is available on the Epilepsy Foundation website. Click here to go directly to the video or click here to go to the Epilepsy Foundation website for more information on the condition.

Artist Bio

Jas Streten was born in Katherine, Northern Territory, in 1969 and is currently based in Brunswick, Victoria. Jas is an abstract expressionist artist who works primarily with acrylics, chalk, and ink. He paints on the unconventional materials of cardboard, plywood, and MDF. Materials reclaimed from shops and building sites.

The focus of Jas’s artistic practice is on the translation of the ordinary elements from our daily lives into abstract paintings that evoke both the tangible and emotional facets of our surroundings. Through his art Jas blurs the boundary between the physical and the conceptual, prompting viewers to reflect on their own sense of place.

Jas’s portfolio includes two solo exhibitions and participation in five group showcases. He is currently working towards his next exhibition.

CV

Professional Experience and Training:

  • 2023 Sanciolo Art and Design Mentoring Program

  • 2023 Arts Access Victoria Mentorship Program, Melbourne, Victoria.

  • 2021 Hope St. Studios, Brunswick, Victoria.

  • 2021 Trocedaro Art Space Group, Melbourne, Victoria

  • 2020 Laurent Studios, Melbourne, Victoria

Selected Group and solo exhibitions:

  • 2023 ‘Small Works’. Unassigned Gallery, Brunswick.

  • 2023 ‘Show and Tell’. Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Melbourne.

  • 2022 ‘Locked Down’. Post Gallery, Brunswick.

  • 2019 ‘Refuge’. Miss Moses Art Space, Brunswick.

  • 2019 Axiom: A Reimagined Reality. Group Show. Sp@ce at Collins, Melbourne City.

  • 2018 ‘Inside Out’. Soma Art Space Brunswick, Victoria.

Memberships

  • Melbourne Artists Incorporated.

  • Melbourne and Victorian Artists Incorporated.

About Jas