Jean Jacques

(1922–1999) British

“Jean Jacques” is the signature of artist John Skinner born on 14th October 1922 in Linconshire, England.  He spent the majority of his life however in Jersey. John Skinner (also known as Jack, hence the combination creating Jean Jacques) did not begin to paint seriously until 1958, encouraged by his twin brother Tom who began painting around the same time and was an artist in his own right. The Skinner brothers originally came to Jersey in 1946 for three months but ended up staying permanently.  They owned a building firm in which John was a carpenter by profession. However, painting was to take over as the main aspiration in his life, inspired by his deep love of music and poetry, of mythology and ancient religions.  He said “In all my work my object is to replace observation by intuition, analysis by synthesis, and reality by super-reality.  My ideas spring from an interior world, sometimes inspired by a poetic phrase as its subject”. A self confessed introvert he professed to have a child-like mind and has been hailed as a natural colourist.  These qualities are evident in his vivid and varied works, created with a magnificent texture of colours in a bold and abstract style.

Throughout his career as an artist he submitted work in exhibitions around the world commencing with entries at the Paris Salon for three years.  His first one-man exhibition came at the Cambridge Art Association, Massachusetts in 1964.  This was part sponsored by Sir Francis Barry, bt. R.B.A., an artist and close friend. Together with Barry and his brother Tom, they formed what was known as the “Phoenix Group” of painters in Jersey, renowned for its modern and innovative style.

Over the years John’s work has been very well received abroad, especially in North America.  He has held one-man exhibitions not only in the United States but in Gallery One, Beirut, the cultural exchange of the Federal German Republic, Frankfurt and several galleries in Jersey. John also produced a number of fine mosaics and was helped in the glass cutting by his close friend the artist John More.

John remained very much an active painter up until his death in Jersey in October 1999.

PAINTINGS BY THIS ARTIST ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN STOCK