Fragments that Shape Us
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Biography
Fragments that Shape Us
Life is made up of moments – and these moments are what makes life beautiful. The artist Jacqui Brinkhorst captures that beauty with her work in mosaic with elements of collage and paint.
Born in Singapore to Scottish parents, Jacqui brings many diverse cultures along with her and sets it upon these creative works of expressions. As a little girl she returned with her parents back to the UK, first to the South of England, later to Scotland. Jacqui studied Fine Art at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, Scotland, where she specialised in Print-Making. In 2005 she moved with her husband and son to Malaysia. It was later, in 2008, in Miri (a small town on the Borneo side of Malaysia), where Jacqui explored her artist self-coming to life.
Jacqui finds inspiration in the colours, patterns and textures of the materials she uses : most of which are glass, ceramics, tiles and beads which originate from renowned suppliers around the world, like Murano in Italy, or California in the USA. Each mosaic is made up of these high-quality materials sprinkled with fragments of antique ceramics from SE-Asia.
After returning to Kuala Lumpur in 2012, Jacqui broadened her oeuvre with panels and 3D sculptures. Her ‘Crosswords’ wood-based panels are an amalgamation of a number of square sketchbook-like mini-panels, whilst her Nigerian based ‘Oba’s Crown’ head-dresses continue her adventure into indigenous cultures. Her ‘Sculptured Panels’ each tell a story of an experience, or shows the reflection of topics and thoughts on her mind.
The versatility and chameleon-like quality of the fragments she uses dramatically add to the big picture. What makes it extra special is that this personal art form carries Jacqui’s own memories and fondness into the piece – but that interpretation need not carry to the observers of her art. “However, I’d still be really happy if someone looked at it and said they liked it and not really care about what it means, or represents.”
In 2015, she dedicated another part of her life to training for local and international triathlon races. Much like the enduring dedication she puts in to the training for her athletic goals and efforts, it bears a coincidental resemblance to her approach to the mosaic artwork she creates.
At the start of 2022 Jacqui moved with her family to Portugal. Over several following months she has been working on the establishment of her new atelier. Jacqui is currently picking up on her creative work, which will be strongly driven by a Portugese theme.
