b. (September 14, 1942 -) Port of Spain, Trinidad
Parents: A. Lennox Hinkson and Jeanette Hinkson (née Bain)
3rd of six children 4 boys & 2 girls.
Married 1967 to Caryl Blache-Fraser: 2 sons 1 daughter.
Education:
Richmond Street Boys Primary School;
Queens Royal College, Trinidad
Academie Julien, Paris, France (1963- 64)
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (1965 - 70)
His youth - the early influences
Jackie grew up in the town of Port of Spain, Trinidad, living with his family in a gabled wooden colonial house with the characteristic roof, portico, wooden jalousies and decorative fretwork, so representative of dwellings built at the turn of the century.
Because his father was a Travelling Officer with the colonial government, Hinkson enjoyed extensive exposure to Trinidad's rural and coastal landscape and architecture, particularly plantation architecture.
These early experiences were to have a decisive influence on his later artistic expression.
During his teenage years he struck up a friendship with a fellow schoolmate which was to prove significant. With Peter Minshall (later to become internationally renowned as a costume designer) Jackie worked and discussed art extensively.
Through visits to the Public Library he became familiar with the works of artists whose work he admired, in particular the Impressionists (especially Cézanne) and English watercolourists.
Over the past 20 years Hinkson has expanded his repertoire of subjects and his range of media. In addition to the numerous (some 75) sketch pads that he has filled with sketches and visual notes on people, places and events, he has produced " in which he has depicted events from the life of Christ in a contemporary Trinidadian context. These works exhibited in 2002 2003 and have received wide national acclaim.
In 2002 the Unit Trust Corporation sponsored a retrospective of Hinkson's work covering some 40 years. It included exhibitions of drawings and sculpture, watercolours, oils and murals (including the Life of Christ series). This retrospective was the impetus for a book published in December 2003 on Hinkson's drawings, "Drawing for Days" 40 years of Drawings by Jackie Hinkson. In April 2006 a book, portfolio and DVD were published (see publication page).
Hinkson continues to draw extensively and to paint plein-air watercolours and oils. He has begun a new series of figurative wood sculptures and is currently working on a 8 1/2 foot by 100 foot mural entitled "Masquerade" in which certain aspects of Trinidad society are portrayed through the metaphor of Carnival. This work reflects an increasing tendency in Hinkson's work towards social commentary.
