Jamie Kettle is an artist and graphic designer from in Stoke on Trent (1993). After graduating in Graphic Communication from Loughborough University in 2015, Jamie spent the next 8 years working in London as a data and motion designer before relocating to Manchester in 2023. His work focuses on abstract cloudscapes, using colour and texture to build layers blending elements of realism and abstraction. 
How did you get into art?
My first memories of sketching began from a young age with my Grandad – mostly football based subjects, before transitioning into painting during high school. This was put on hold for a several years during university, before rediscovering my brushes in 2016.
How would you describe your style? What makes your work special?
I often like to describe my works as interpretations of dreamscapes, focusingon building layers of colour and texture which progressively builds the composition. I rarely have a pre-conceived ‘end’ image in mind before I start, I prefer to allow it to develop naturally by adding smaller details each time. 
How do you go about developing your work?
I think you always get out what you put in. This stems from how passionate you are for your craft, as the enjoyment for me comes from knowing that in art you can never be the finished article and there’s always improvements and new directions you can take to mould your own personal style. I’ve always liked the saying that it takes 10,000 hours to reach a professional level, not that this is always the case for everyone, but in my opinion, this should be a minimum amount of time you should be prepared to spend if you want to see continuous development.
Who or what influences you?
Many of my works begin with inspiration from my own sunset photography, but I like to use these more as a palette inspiration rather than direct references, preferring to let the composition build itself as I go. In terms of artists, I love Chris Rivers’ use of colour in his large scale celestial-based landscapes, however I’ve always been obsessed with whatever Ryan Hewett creates, most recently his striking geometric portraits.
Make us curious. What are you planning to do next?
I would love to work at a larger scale within my current style so the plan will be to experiment with this in the short term. Also my partner and I are looking to buy house soon, which I’m really excited to occupy a studio with, so I can work on things a bit more frequently!
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