Provenance:

Private Collection, Toronto

Literature:

Clarke, Bill. “Jason McLean: Diaries of Place.” Canadian Art, Summer 2011. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://www.canadianart.ca/features/2011/08/11/jason_mclean/

Note:

Born in 1971, Jason McLean is best known for his large-scale illustrations that amalgamate details of his personal life with the eccentricities of our everyday world. Finding influence in the work of the Dadaists and Surrealists before him, McLean’s free-form drawings unfold into a stream-of-consciousness. The result is effective, with works such as Gently Hold Me...Sunshine (2005) providing an honest display of the artist’s introspective process.  

McLean has collected art, books and various creative materials throughout his lifetime, often manipulating found objects in his work. By focusing on the details of his surroundings and by incorporating light humour, McLean is able to effectively touch upon challenging subject matter such as sadness, loss, and mental illness. The artist was diagnosed with schizophrenia following his graduation from the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in 1997. Taking control of his condition, McLean chooses to explore and express himself through art. “I also want to be a role model. I want people with the same condition to know that they can have a life and family, and successfully pursue whatever it is they want to do.”

McLean has been exhibited nationally and internationally, having been chosen by MacLean’s magazine as one of the top 10 up-and-coming Artists in Canada (2004). He was commissioned to design the billboard for the Vancouver Olympics in 2012 before returning to his hometown of London, Ontario to continue his art practice.