PORTRAITS TO PRINTS

Portraits

& Prints LAY

Boston-based artist, Jay LaCouture specializes in screen printing and portraits. His art combines digital mediums, as well as classic silk screen techniques to bring his creative visions to life. The pursuit of perfection within the world of art is often a central part of the artistic process and often influences the selection of the medium. The medium helps to push the narrative of the piece and allows the viewer to admire not only the vision but the process itself. Using bold colors and realistic depictions, LaCouture sets himself apart from fellow artists working in the screen printing industry.

Traditional screen printing is an older art form, with varying degrees of difficulty. The process begins with a stencil of the desired design. From this initial layout, multiple screens are developed based on specific colors and shapes. The screens are then layered with pigment, and pressed onto the surface, to create a replica of the desired image. These screens are reusable, and this amazing feature allows the artist to train their hands to new levels of perfection.

“Art is like fitness, you warm up your hands and your eyes to see in a different way, translating [an idea from] my hand onto what I am creating,” said LaCouture.

The inspiration to create is continually changing. Being an artist is not only an occupation, it is a lifestyle. It is a constant race to keep up with trends to stay relevant in the ever-changing world. From shapes in nature to patterns on wallpapers, the creative eye pulls to items that appear interesting and fun. When inspiration fades, the abstract mind finds a new muse to stay motivated. This is the norm for LaCouture. This way of thinking has stuck with him throughout his years as an artist and will continue to be the source of future works. Although inspiration strikes fast, it can take months to achieve an original vision.

Completing trial runs before the final product is crucial to print work. Like any art medium, mapping out a plan will make the end goal more obtainable. It often reminds artists to step back and reflect. LaCouture often gets hyper-fixated on what he is creating, that he exhausts himself, as many creators do when they are working around the clock on one particular piece. He uses a geometric style of art as a way to create an ever-changing landscape of inspiration and possibility. The endless combinations of shapes assist LaCouture with breaking the cycle of repetition and preventing him from hitting the wall of stagnation. A balance is created when searching for more than one inspiration.

Like inspiration, printmaking is visible in all aspects of life. In a department store alone, the medium can be found on anything from graphic t-shirts to towels. LaCouture emphasized this within his teaching career at Lesley University. As a self-taught screen printer, he found it difficult to teach based on a set curriculum, as the universities often like to have industry professionals with an educational background in their field. He wanted to help his students learn the ways of creativity, by giving them internships to explore their own creative process, rather than a set of rules to follow.

He has worked with many interns over the years, teaching the craft to the next generation, but LaCouture makes sure to provide every student with personal advice. He emphasizes the importance of accountability. Setting goals for the future and allowing your creations to aid in forging industry connections is the continual responsibility of an artist. Connecting with people that are willing to take you from point A to point B is a way of learning that will benefit how much you can handle in the future. This persistence and drive are where the inspiration will develop.

“If you are going to do it [art], play the long game, people come in and out of your lives. If you put the work in and invest in people, you will be able to foster the relationships with the right people,” said LaCouture. Apart from the world of teaching, LaCouture owns a fully manual print shop. Modern-day mass production print shops often work on million-dollar machines, with little to no human assistance, but LaCouture takes pride in doing everything by hand for all of his clientele. Every piece he creates runs from his brain to his fingertips, allowing him to control the process from start to finish, but being a hand-crafting artisan in an urban landscape can be a daunting task. Unlike mural artists, printmakers work on a smaller scale, with less public outreach, but it hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his artistic visions.

Running his own print shop gives him the opportunity to be surrounded by the art that he loves while paying the bills. Although immersed in his artistic medium all day, he chooses to separate passion from profit. While LaCouture finds joy in creating personal art, it only sometimes provides the stability of a stereotypical nine-to-five. This division of work and play allows LaCouture to express himself as an artist, a visionary, and a business owner.

Within LaCouture’s constantly growing collection of artwork, there are many styles, mediums, and subjects, so he finds it difficult to name favorites. While he leaned toward portraits, he felt human portraits posed abstract and interpretive questions like who the person was, inside and out, and why he chose to draw them. He tries to lean away from abstraction, focusing more on a straightforward interpretation. This is why many of his animal portraits stand out. Not only are they filled with vibrant colors, but it eliminates the reflective thought process of discovering the subject. While he views these past works fondly, the age-old question remains on his mind, what’s next?

LaCouture is focusing on the future, using different avenues, and pursuing new ideas to see the bigger picture. While this may not be as clear as it once was in the ever-changing art scene of Boston, he will continue to pursue art as long as he is able.

@jayantidesigns; jaylacouture.com