ARTIST BIO

Jason Pritchard is a British-born American artist whose evocative seascape oil paintings capture the timeless beauty and shifting moods of New England’s coastline. Raised in the picturesque landscapes of East Anglia—home to Constable and Gainsborough—Pritchard’s early artistic instincts were nurtured by a childhood surrounded by the smell of ink and stacks of spare paper from his father’s printing business. Drawing came naturally, and with it, a lifelong pursuit of light, place, and memory.

In his twenties, Pritchard moved to London and fell in love with watercolor’s immediacy. But it wasn’t until he relocated to New York in 2005 that he found his true medium in oil, studying for several years at the famed Art Students League. It was there that his technique evolved, merging classical tradition with a contemporary eye for nature’s subtle intensity.

Pritchards’ seascapes of Cape Cod and the New England coast reflect a quiet intimacy with place—often described as contemplative and atmospheric. Working both en plein air and from memory, he aims to capture the stillness, light, and emotional tone of the shore. In 2020, Cape Cod Art Magazine named Pritchard as an Emerging Artist in its annual spotlight edition recognizing the growing depth of his coastal work and the quiet connection it continues to foster with viewers and collectors alike.

His paintings have been exhibited in New York City, Long Island, and throughout Connecticut. A member of Art/Place Gallery in Fairfield, CT, Pritchards’ work is part of a growing number of private collections, often acquired by those who see in his canvases a rare mix of stillness, storytelling, and spirit.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I mostly paint seascapes in oil to preserve fleeting moments of light, space, and memory along the New England coast—a place that speaks to me like no other. My goal is to create paintings that not only evoke a strong sense of atmosphere, but also offer the viewer a quiet connection to this cherished region.

Much of my work begins outdoors, painting en plein air on the beach with wind on my face and salt in the air. These small studies and reference photographs are gathered on long, reflective walks—where I observe not just the landscape, but my emotional response to it. That feeling becomes the anchor of each painting.

Back in the studio, I distill these impressions, translating the textures of shifting skies, crashing waves, and weather-worn dunes into oil. The brushwork and palette are guided by memory, not just sight—aiming to express a moment’s energy rather than a literal record. I often build up layers of paint beneath expansive skies, allowing mood and atmosphere to lead the narrative.

Every painting is a tribute to the coastline and the experience of truly being there. I hope they feel like echoes of a place you once stood—moments you want to return to, again and again.