At the height of the pandemic, the world around us got a lot smaller. We confined ourselves to our home, state or country. As a project like The Jaunt, that sends artists all over the world to find inspiration, it was a time of recalibration. In one way, it became even more important to provide opportunities to artists and put them in new surroundings. In another way, it became impossible to continue in the same way.

When crossing international borders become increasingly difficult, due to travel restrictions, we were forced to look within the artists own country. In conversation with our artists we were able to find a lot of interesting destinations that were close to home, and in some instances in their own backyard, figuratively speaking. This new situation gave us the biggest learning of this pandemic. We have been conditioned to find destinations on the other side of the world, while there is still so much to explore closer to home. Going forward we want to treasure this learning and find a better balance between exploring the other side of the world, but also our own backyard.

The exhibition "Closer to Home" showcases the work of 10 artists who made a Jaunt trip during the pandemic and traveled to a destination closer to home. From Sri Lanka to Denmark, from Oregon to New Zealand, from Australia to Tasmania, from Sweden to Alaska, and from The Netherlands to Haida Gwaii.

About The Jaunt
The Jaunt creates opportunities and possibilities for artists. The project allows artists to travel the world and find inspiration – not just during the trip, but lasting inspiration that hopefully permeates their entire artistic practice. The Jaunt’s mission is to catalyze progress and feed fresh insight into the creative process of our artists. The first step in this process is taking the artist out of their comfort zone and allowing them to experience completely new surroundings.

About Ricky Lee Gordon
Originally from South Africa, Ricky Lee Gordon is now living and working in Sri Lanka, where he founded Śūnyatā, an artist residency retreat. From the studio here, Ricky works on his artworks from a meditative environment which allows him to explore his ideas without compromise. His work is inspired by his own experiences in meditation and Buddhist Dharma (the law of nature), sometimes his work is abstract and deconstructed and sometimes straight forward and didactic.

About KC Ortiz
Born in Chicago, and currently residing in Copenhagen, KC Ortiz has a rich history that has informed him and his worldview to this day. The work of KC Ortiz is an exploration on survival, preservation, and resistance in a world that is rapidly changing under political upheaval, economic inequality, misinformation, and technological advances. By examining and questioning both our individual and collective roles and responsibilities in these current times and to future generations and civilizations, Ortiz visualizes the struggle of these questions.

About Lisa Congdon
While her own biography only states that ‘Illustrator and author Lisa Congdon is best known for her colorful, graphic drawings and hand lettering’, there is a lot more to it than that. Through a combination of activism, awareness and creativity, Lisa Congdon knows like no other to inspire a new generation. Through inspirational quotes, vivid colors, and a healthy dose of optimism, Lisa’s work capture the attention and makes you think.

About Jason Woodside
Through vivid colors and contrasting layers of elementary, geometric patterns, Jason Woodside aims to generate visual cohesion in the world around him. Inspired by textiles, patterns, and clothing, his bold textures provide an abstract yet uplifting atmosphere and optimistic emotions. Originally from the US, but now living in New Zealand, Jason is looking forward to explore more of the natural beauty that New Zealand has to offer.

About Kyle Hughes-Odgers
Based out of Perth, Australia, Kyle Hughes-Odgers is one of those artists who seems to effortlessly combine abstract and figurative elements in his work. Always exploring colour theory, abstraction and narrative within his work, which in turn is inspired by nature, the built environment and human behaviour.

About Jordy van den Nieuwendijk
The work of Jordy van den Nieuwendijk has a unique vibrant aesthetic, with which he is able to catch the essence of his subject – with simple line strokes and a strong color composition. Focusing on readily recognisable subjects such as flora and fauna, but also automobiles and foods. Topped off with elements and shapes that are universally associated with good vibes; swirls, loops, sun and more.

About Linnéa Andersson
In her paintings, Linnéa Andersson has an ongoing investigation of how to describe an emotion without words. Working from her studio in Gothenburg, Sweden, she is mediating a human language without a human expression, through the shapes and forms of an abstract leaf. The leaves speak to Linnéa, writing her diary through their wobbly shape and the space in between them and the outline of the canvas.

About Anna Valdez
The Californian-based artist Anna Valdez discovered her skill for art making on a trip far from home, an archeology excavation trip to Ireland. Here she was encouraged to keep a sketchbook, creating scale drawings and maps of the site. Through visually reinterpretations of these “abandoned sites” she explored the connection between anthropological and artist methods of cataloguing and record keeping. Working in mediums such as painting, drawing, printmaking, collages and digital media, Anna Valdez examines the relationship between material and cultural identity, using domestic objects such as plants, textiles, vessels and keepsakes as a method of storytelling.

About B.D. Graft
The work of B.D. Graft is a continuous exploration between life and the representation of that life. Through vivid drawings and paintings of flowers, landscapes and interiors, B.D. is stepping in the footsteps of the tradition of still life paintings, like so many who have gone before him in art history. With his distinctive freehand lines he is able to capture his subjects in a way that accentuates movement. Maybe this is a reminiscence of his days studying film and English literature, or maybe a testament to his pursuit of happiness.

About Scott Sueme
With his hard-edge painting techniques, Scott Sueme, is figuring out new ways to harmonize the balance between shapes, colors and forms. At the root of his work is an on going exploration of materiality, and the quality and perception of color. Manifesting color as an abstraction of various elements of life, recalling memories, capturing the passage of time, and connect with the subconscious.

About Paradigm Gallery + Studio
Established February 2010 in Philadelphia, Paradigm Gallery began as a project between co-founders and curators, Jason Chen and Sara McCorriston, as a space to create and collect in a welcoming gallery setting. Now open 10 years, Paradigm Gallery is globally recognized and known as a tastemaker within their greater Philadelphia arts community. As the gallery grows, it maintains its original mission to keep art accessible. Through monthly donations, free public art installations and initiatives like Insider Picks, Paradigm Gallery, continues to be a champion of small businesses and emerging artists.

Location:
746 S 4th St
Philadelphia, PA 19147