In the contemporary art world, Jessie Makinson stands out as a painter whose works exude mystery, complexity, and vibrant imagination. Born in 1985 and based in London, Makinson has developed a distinctive visual language that merges mythological storytelling with modern feminist undertones. Her paintings, filled with intricate details and surreal imagery, challenge traditional representations of women while exploring power, identity, and transformation. Through her mastery of colour, symbolism, and layered composition, Jessie Makinson has become one of the most intriguing voices in twenty-first-century painting.
Early Life and Education
Jessie Makinson was born and raised in the United Kingdom, where her early fascination with art and visual storytelling began to shape her creative journey. She studied at the Edinburgh College of Art, where she honed her skills in drawing and painting. After completing her Bachelor’s degree, she continued her artistic education at the Royal Drawing School (formerly known as the Prince’s Drawing School) in London.
Her time at the Royal Drawing School proved pivotal. It was here that she refined her approach to figure drawing, learned to balance structure with spontaneity, and began to explore narrative art in new ways. The foundation she built during these years continues to influence her work, particularly her ability to weave figuration and abstraction seamlessly.
Artistic Vision and Style
Jessie Makinson’s work cannot be easily categorised. It lives at the crossroads of fantasy, mythology, and surrealism, yet it remains deeply grounded in the realities of human emotion and experience. Her paintings are instantly recognisable for their jewel-like palettes, intricate details, and dreamlike arrangements of figures and creatures.
Makinson often portrays hybrid beings—half human, half animal—engaged in mysterious acts of ritual or play. Her figures may appear mischievous, sensual, or even threatening, depending on the context. The viewer is left to interpret their purpose, which often changes the longer one looks. This ambiguity is one of her greatest strengths as an artist: her works resist easy explanation, inviting continuous discovery.
Feminine Energy and Mythical Narratives
One of the central themes in Makinson’s art is the representation of femininity. Unlike traditional depictions of women in art, which have often been passive or idealised, her female characters are complex, self-aware, and powerful. They command the space they inhabit. These women are not muses or subjects of desire—they are creators of their own myth.
Her inspiration often stems from folklore, ancient myth, and speculative fiction. Through these sources, she re-imagines archetypes of women—witches, goddesses, hunters, and shape-shifters—and places them in worlds that feel both ancient and futuristic. The result is an intricate dance between past and present, nature and civilisation, instinct and intellect.
The Language of Colour and Composition
Colour is fundamental to Jessie Makinson’s visual storytelling. She employs a dazzling array of hues—deep emeralds, muted pinks, molten golds, and rich violets—to evoke emotion and build tension. Her paintings often unfold like tapestries, with multiple layers of visual information.
Each composition is meticulously constructed, yet the process remains intuitive. She begins with an abstract underlayer, allowing spontaneous patterns and marks to guide her imagination. As forms emerge, she defines them into figures, plants, and creatures, letting the story grow organically. This fluid approach gives her work an electric sense of life—every inch of the canvas feels alive with intention.
Influence of Historical Art and Literature
While her paintings are unmistakably modern, Makinson draws inspiration from a broad range of historical sources. Her works echo the Baroque richness of Rubens, the symbolic density of Gustave Moreau, and the fantasy worlds of William Blake. At the same time, she is influenced by contemporary writers and artists who challenge conventional narratives.
Science fiction, feminist theory, and postmodern literature also find their way into her imagery. Her art could easily be seen as a visual companion to the speculative worlds of Margaret Atwood or Angela Carter, where power, gender, and imagination intertwine.
Exhibitions and Recognition
Jessie Makinson’s rise in the art world has been both steady and impressive. She has held solo exhibitions at renowned galleries including Lyles & King in New York, François Ghebaly Gallery in Los Angeles, and Galerie Fabian Lang in Zurich. Each show has further cemented her reputation as a leading figure in contemporary painting.
Her participation in international group shows has introduced her art to a global audience. Institutions such as the British Museum, Victoria Miro Gallery, and Simon Lee Gallery have featured her work. Collectors and curators alike praise her ability to merge technical excellence with conceptual depth.
Her pieces are held in prestigious collections such as the British Museum in London, the Long Museum in Shanghai, and the Hessel Museum of Art in New York. These inclusions mark her as one of the few contemporary painters to have achieved both critical acclaim and institutional recognition in a relatively short time.
The Role of Storytelling in Her Work
Every painting by Jessie Makinson tells a story, though not in the conventional sense. Her narratives are fragmented and open-ended, much like dreams or myths passed through generations. Viewers might recognise motifs—figures in cloaks, fantastical animals, and lush landscapes—but the relationships between them remain uncertain.
This narrative ambiguity encourages personal interpretation. Each viewer becomes a co-author, piecing together meaning from colour, gesture, and expression. It is precisely this participatory quality that makes her art so compelling. Makinson’s canvases do not tell you what to think—they invite you to imagine.
A Modern Feminist Voice
In an era when art is once again questioning its relationship with gender and identity, Makinson’s work offers a fresh, unapologetically female perspective. She reclaims visual space for women, not as passive subjects but as agents of power and creation.
Her approach aligns with the broader eco-feminist movement, which connects the exploitation of nature with the historical subjugation of women. In her paintings, animals, plants, and humans coexist in harmony—or sometimes in conflict—but always within the same spiritual ecosystem. This thematic connection between environment and gender gives her art a timeless resonance.
Critical Reception and Art Market Presence
Critics have lauded Jessie Makinson for her ability to blend the narrative complexity of old-master painting with the visual energy of contemporary art. Her brushwork, patterning, and colour sensibility have been described as “lushly seductive yet intellectually sharp.”
Her works have performed strongly in art fairs and auctions, appearing at major events in London, New York, and Hong Kong. Collectors are drawn to the unique way she balances beauty with meaning, sensuality with satire. Yet, despite her commercial success, Makinson continues to prioritise experimentation and storytelling over market trends.
Teaching and Influence on Younger Artists
Beyond her own practice, Jessie Makinson contributes to the next generation of artists as a tutor at the Royal Drawing School. Her teaching emphasises observation, imagination, and discipline—qualities she embodies in her own work. Students and emerging painters look up to her for her commitment to authentic expression and her refusal to follow conventional formulas.
Her success has also opened doors for other women artists exploring fantasy, surrealism, and mythology. By proving that such themes can coexist with critical acclaim, she has helped reshape the conversation around what constitutes serious contemporary painting.
The Emotional Core of Her Work
Beneath the mythic narratives and elaborate detailing lies a deeply emotional undercurrent. Makinson’s art speaks of vulnerability, courage, and the search for identity. Her figures—though fantastical—mirror human experiences of transformation, desire, and fear.
Even in their surreal settings, her subjects often seem to question their own existence. They remind viewers that strength and fragility can coexist, that chaos can give rise to beauty, and that art can illuminate truths that words cannot fully express.
Legacy and Future Direction
As Jessie Makinson continues to evolve, her art is becoming increasingly complex and layered. She is not content to repeat herself; instead, she explores new scales, materials, and conceptual frameworks. Her recent works suggest a move toward even greater abstraction, where figures dissolve into patterns and meaning emerges through rhythm and texture.
Given her trajectory so far, it is clear that her influence will only grow. Her paintings will likely continue to challenge audiences, question norms, and inspire debate about the boundaries of narrative and representation in art.
Conclusion
Jessie Makinson is more than a painter—she is a storyteller, myth-maker, and visionary. Her art invites viewers into worlds that blur the line between dream and reality, history and imagination, chaos and beauty. Through her bold reinterpretation of femininity and myth, she offers a compelling vision of empowerment and transformation.
In a time when contemporary art often leans toward minimalism or conceptual detachment, Makinson’s richly narrative paintings remind us of the enduring power of storytelling and the human imagination. Her work stands as a testament to how myth and fantasy can reveal truths about who we are—and who we might yet become.
