Oliver
Myrie.
About The Artist
Oliver Myrie was born in Jamaica in 1978. He began painting in 1995 as a student at the Old Harbour High School in St. Catherine, Jamaica and then professionally in 2008. Initially focused on realism, Oliver counts his love for nature, the sea and colorful images as his earliest of influences. In high school, Oliver was also greatly impacted by the work of the surrealist aesthetic, Australian-born Jamaican pioneer, Colin Garland. In particular, Garland’s 1996 piece entitled ‘Kore’ gave Oliver a window into the level of creativity and intuition that he himself could employ in his work. A long-time student of
Jamaican art history, Oliver also counts Jamaican masters Karly 'Jerry' Craig and John Dunkley among his early influencers. In 2000, Oliver pursued a Diploma in Fine Arts at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, graduating in 2005. It was during his time at Edna Manley that Oliver left behind realism to explore the world of abstract intuitive art. This decision was largely influenced by his study of Gerhard Richter who himself started in realism but later transitioned to abstraction. Like Richter, abstract art allowed Oliver to explore painting outside of its traditions and develop new techniques that would allow him to more accurately express his deep-felt emotions. Oliver was one of two final year students selected to study at the prestigious University of Contemporary Art in Pont-Aven, France in 2004.
“Painting to me is a cathartic function”, Oliver says. “My expressions are responses to various stimuli absorbed over time: observing, listening, thinking, talking and feeling, to the point where there is an overwhelming need to release what has been built up inside. What follows is an automatic, almost involuntary, emotional and textural response to bring to life on canvas visions and emotions that are deeply felt. Many times the catalyst for the process is unlikely to dictate what the outcome will be. As the markings change by mixing together all the elements, it leads to an unpredictable finish.”
Oliver desires that his work be an intimate affair – not only viewed from a distance but engaged with. Individuals are invited to touch his paintings, experiencing the movement and texture of the paint on the canvas, feeling the emotion embodied in each piece and interpreting its messages based on their own life experiences.
Oliver has participated in several exhibitions, his most recent being the 2017 Jamaica Biennial Exhibition at the National Gallery of Jamaica. Oliver has also been consistently recognized as one of Jamaica’s outstanding young artists. In 2009 he was one of four short-listed artists in the Super Plus Under 40 Artist of the Year Competition. He was selected as one of thirteen artists to participate in 2010 in the Young Talent exhibition at the National Gallery of Jamaica.
Today, Oliver continues to live in Old Harbour, Jamaica with his wife of 16 years, Camille, and his two beautiful daughters Olivia and Carissa.