“Jago Neal is a mixed media artist, illustrator and photographer originally from London. He now resides in West Auckland. Jago has a small studio at home which also serves as a darkroom. He often incorporates photography into his practice or integrates it with other methods of drawing, collage or painting. Jago has exhibited work in the UK and New Zealand for some years. He taught Art and Photography in High Schools around Auckland for 5 years and is currently the manager of a community arts centre and gallery called Kumeu Arts. In his role there he has curated numerous exhibitions and organised many events.
Recently, Jago self-published his first Children’s book ‘The Magic Campsite’.”
I draw, paint and photograph the world as a form of expression, to help make sense of it, to stay calm and to feed my imagination and my soul. The work I create and the media I use depends on my mood, my environment, my time and what I want to achieve. I try not to pigeon hole myself into a box or category as that would limit my art and my enjoyment of it.
I find inspiration everywhere; the lines of a mountain or a face, the light catching a leaf in the garden, my minds companions, the pandemic, a song, a text – sometimes it’s relentless.
'The Immigrant 2006'
Oil on Canvas
2017
I was born in London into a family of artists and photographers so I grew up surrounded by books of art and often visited galleries. Visits to my grandad would mean sitting at his desk using his marker pens, visits to my uncle would mean hiding in his darkroom and going to mum’s work meant exploring a Photo Library full of images.
As a child, I drew endlessly. Later I attained a B.A in art and design in London where I specialised in Illustration and Photography. After that my desire to record the world visually then led me to travel extensively. I created many journals and books of my journeys.
Since emigrating to New Zealand I continue to connect more to the natural environment through my art. I often use photography as a starting point – enjoying experimental analogue techniques. Sometimes I still allow myself to get lost in my imagination. In 2019 I self-published a children’s book called ‘The Magic Campsite’. Currently I am working on a series of portraits of artists and family called ‘my family and other artists’.