Jacki Mayo Van Dyke explores consciousness in space and sea

Jacki Mayo Van Dyke is a self-taught artist from Augusta, Georgia whose work has been on display at the Etherridge Center for the past month. She works primarily in acrylics, digital media and ceramics, choosing the best or easiest medium when brainstorming new projects.

According to her website and reiterated at the Artist Talk on Sept. 13, “Jacki first became interested in art at a very young age after watching her mother doodle a woman's portrait.” Other inspirations include Lisa Frank, Bob Ross and Alex Grey.

This led Van Dyke to concentrate on portraiture until she started getting to know herself, as well as question reality, until her mentor and fellow Augusta artist, Jay Jacobs, suggested that she take them to the next level.

The psychedelic nature of Van Dyke’s work encompasses themes of symbolic death, compassion for the human condition and reality versus perception. She has always been overly concerned with people’s opinions of her, but art is her coping mechanism, fostering an environment that allows her confidence to grow.

Van Dyke is not a full-time artist; she emphasizes the need to take breaks so that her work doesn’t appear forced. Although she claims not to be talented when it comes to social media marketing, she has obtained over 2,316 followers on her Instagram.

Jacki Mayo Van Dyke aspires to “plant seeds of creativity in hopes that others may find solace in their own creative practices.”