Jonathan “Basil” Medwid
From pastel and oil paintings to fiberglass turkeys, Jonathan “Basil” Medwid’s work celebrates the best of Connecticut and the world around it. Born and bred in West Suffield, Basil graduated from Suffield Academy in 1996 and went on to earn a liberal arts degree from Wesleyan University in 2000. During his college career, he concentrated his studies around English, psychology, and studio art courses. After graduation, he turned his passion for art into a career. While the difficulties of being a full-time artist seemed daunting at first, Basil rose to the challenge and defied the odds. Today, his work hangs in galleries all across New England, parts of the Midwest, and even Bermuda and St. Lucia.
When Basil paints, he chooses to keep his subjects local and connect with the community. Instead of sequestering himself within the confines of a studio, Basil prefers a plein air environment with an audience. According to his artist’s statement, he insists, “Whereas many artists rely on the seclusion of their studios, I only want to share my mission immediately. My work is not just an expression of myself; it does not belong only to me.”
From oil paintings of landscapes in East Granby and Simsbury to pastel portraits of crisp fall pumpkins, many of his pieces focus on locations in his home state. Hilltop Farm, Suffield Academy’s halls, and Wesleyan University all figure prominently in his work. On summery Monday nights, Basil plants his canvas in the parking lot of Mark’s Auto Recycling and documents Mark’s Cruise Night. His online portfolio contains countless pastel renderings of antique cars and the drivers that love them.
One of Basil’s most interesting tributes is Gobtimus Prime, a sculpture that stemmed from East Granby’s 150th anniversary celebrations. In 2008, town sponsors purchased 17 fiberglass turkeys and distributed them to local artists; Mark’s Auto Recycling sponsored Basil’s fiberglass fowl. To represent the nature of Mark’s business, Basil wanted to incorporate an automotive theme into the piece.
Harkening back to his childhood, the cartoon Transformers kick started his creative process. As he explains in his artist’s statement, “Optimus is a patriot in color, and he is an iconic leader of strength, pride, honor, and courage. Optimus Prime is a truck that transforms into a robot. I was to create Gobtimus Prime, a truck that transforms into a turkey.” Using a combination of old auto parts and enamel spray paint, Gobtimus Prime came to life. Today, the turkey proudly struts his stuff on the lawn of Mark’s garage.
In addition to painting and sculpting, Basil fills his time with demonstrations, lectures, and classes for schools, groups, and individual clients. No matter the project, he strives to challenge beliefs and inspire creativity in others. In his artist’s statement, he explains, “If we have not questioned the perception of our fundamental consciousness, then we have not exercised our creative imagination which allows us to dream. And if we have lived only by the logical or rational, we would not have fully lived at all, because we must not always sleep in order to wake while we dream. Life is like a fairy tale, and so I continue to dream.”
Website: Basil Gallery
