Meet one of the Art in the Valley artists and founder....

Jay is from Windsor and moved to the Valley in the spring of 2021 after retiring from 27 years of military service. His art has gone through many different stages and methods as Jay has a unique sight condition. Jay cannot see colour. This monochromatic way of looking at the world provides Jay's paintings with a sense of peace and draws attention to detail.

Jay's work began in a shades of black, grey, and white but has since moved on to what he refers to as "Bluescapes". Jay focus's on texture to create moods and sounds when you look at his art. He is often found painting in the very early hours with his cat Lou and finds peace in the mixing of the paints, in the brushstrokes across canvas, and in the simple creative process. While Jay has sold most of his paintings, he has created many as gifts to friends or donated pieces for fundraisers.

Follow Jay on his Instagram at jaybak11 and visit his website SleepyCat.ca