Jack Kenneth Maxwell and Jill Maxwell- “L’imitation”
A new collaborative exhibition by an amazing husband and wife team. Jack continues his magical series of images from his study of Notre Dame Cathedral and other gorgeous French churches. His wife Jill explores the beauty and mystery of the French female Saints.
From Jack Maxwell’s Notre Dame Exhibition-
…a landmark, an icon, a culmination of the collective passions of artists, skilled craftsman and visionaries; she is the heart and soul of a city and a place of pilgrimage for over 700 years. She is time and weather-worn, beautiful, dark, mysterious and awe-inspiring. Containing expansive spaces, soaring heights and a forest of masonry that is richly patinated by time and the elements, her pillars branch into vaults and the walls are punctuated by complex webs of stone, windows that trace out multicolored panes with the depth and richness of precious gemstones.
Over the eons she has been a source of pride, sanctity and reverence, as well as disrespect and even abusive neglect. She was restored and reborn in the mid-19th century, a consequence of Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. She has survived countless skirmishes, a Revolution and two World Wars. And most recently she withstood the devastating fire of April 15, 2019. It was watched by an entire world in shocked agony. She was engulfed in flames and sustained serious loss and mutilation but “Our Lady” miraculously still stands.
Jill and I visited Notre-Dame de Paris on Christmas Eve, 110 days before the devastating inferno. On that hazy wet early morning, the church was filled with music; angelic voices were lifted upwards in ancient rhythms and sacred songs while accompanied by the deep reverberating tones of the massive organ. The exotic and spicy fragrance of incense permeated the air as it burned and smoked, and hearts were filled with the joy and hopeful anticipation of the season. We were overwhelmed and certain that we were experiencing something indescribably extraordinary.
________
For over a decade I have chosen to paint churches, particular their interiors. It matters little whether they are diminutive and obscure village churches or immense and famous cathedrals. They each have their unexpected charms, hidden intimacies and the ability to transcend and transport one from the seemingly important concerns and anxieties of this world to places of awe, peace and even holiness.
With brush, paint and a selective eye I attempt to capture in oils and gold leaf a semblance of what I have experienced in these precious places and my hopeful intent is that these paintings might, at least to some degree, allow the viewer to share in these personal emotions, mystical revelries and singular inspirations.
JACK MAXWELL
Education
MFA (sculpture), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1981
BFA (art), BSED (secondary art), 1978
Professional Experience
Teaching Tenure at Abilene Christian University, Sep 1984-Aug 2018
Chair, Department of Art and Design, June 1998- May 2010
EXHIBITIONS
ONE AND TWO PERSON SHOWS
L’imitation: a duo exhibition with Jill Maxwell, Carol Robinson Gallery, New Orleans, LA. March-April 2025.
• Out of Eden: Guadalupe River Series— Gruene Mansion Gallery, Gruene, Texas, 2017
• Jack Maxwell: Journeys 2011-14 Paintings from Recent Travels Abroad (solo show)— Breckenridge Main Gallery, Breckenridge, TX. Nov 2015
• Sacred Spaces-2014 Jack Maxwell: 3 UK Parish Churches— Weisman Museum of Art, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA. Apr 2014
• Jack Maxwell-Sacred Spaces: Perspectives From Recent Travels: UK And Italy— ACU Downtown Gallery, Abilene, TX. Sep 2013
• Jack Maxwell-Summers Abroad: Acrylic, Gouache And Watercolour On Paper— Virginia Shore Gallery, ACU, Abilene, TX. Sep 2011
• Jack and Jill Maxwell: Recent Work— Aldersgate UMC Gallery Space, Abilene, TX, July 2015
• Double Vision: Ladder Dream Series, Jack and Jill Maxwell—
• ACU-Cockerell Gallery, 1133 North Second, Abilene, TX. Dec 2007
• California Baptist University, Riverside, CA. Sep 2007
GROUP SHOWS AND INVITATIONALS
• Tri-University Art Exhibition— May 12-Sep 9, 2016, Downtown Gallery, 1133 N 2nd, Abilene, TX, May 2017
• Artful Makers Making Art— ACU Downtown Gallery, 1133 N 2nd, Abilene, TX , Apr 2016
• Altered States: Saints, Seekers and Secrets— Grace Museum, Abilene, TX. Sep 2014
• Select Work By ACU Art Faculty— Ira M. Taylor Gallery, Hardin Simmons University, Abilene, TX. Nov 2013
• Stolen Glimpses: Photographs From A Summer Abroad— ACU Downtown Gallery, Abilene, TX. Nov 2010
• Postcards From Abroad: Plein-Air Painting In England And Italy— Virginia Shore Gallery, ACU, Abilene, TX. Oct 2010
• Abilene Reunion Exhibition: 30 Years Revisited— ACU Downtown Gallery/ Center for Contemporary Art, Abilene, TX. Sep 2010
• Tri-University Exhibition— ACU-Cockerell Gallery, 1133 North Second, Abilene, TX. Feb 2009
• TASA One Cube Foot Exhibition— Ryan Fine Arts Gallery, McMurry University, Abilene, TX. Mar 2009
• Continental Visions 2008: Artists Photograph Europe— Shore Art Gallery, ACU, Abilene, TX. Oct 2008
• Passage To Europe: En Plein Air Esperienza— ACU-Cockerell Gallery, 1133 North Second, Abilene, TX. Oct 2008
• Blind but Now I See- Art of the Poster— Shore Art Gallery, ACU, Abilene, TX. Feb 2006
• ACU Centennial Art Exhibition— The Grace Museum, Abilene, TX. Oct 2005
• Isaiah Traveling Show— Look to the Hills:
2004, 2005, Fresno, CA (05’), Nashville, TN (04’)
• To Open Eyes that Are Blind: Themes From Isaiah— Shore Gallery, ACU, Abilene, TX. Feb 2004
• Texas Sculpture Invitational— Center for Contemporary Art, Abilene, TX. Sep 2002
• Plein Air: Visions of Europe 2001— Virginia Shore Gallery, ACU, Abilene, TX. Sep 2001
• Sewell Sculpture Exhibition/Installation, Sewell Theatre, Abilene, Texas. Jan 1997
• 12th Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition: Jack Maxwell, S. Daly, C. Ernst, S. Owens, C. Christianson— Nelson Park, Abilene, TX. Sep 1992
COMPETITIONS/AWARDS
• BCAA Competition—ACU Downtown Gallery, Abilene, TX
2009, 2013, 2015, 2016 AWARDS: 1st Place 2D (13’), Best of Show and 1st Place 2D (16’)
• BCAA Competition—The Grace Museum, Abilene, TX
1998, 2000,2003, 2004, 2005. AWARDS 1st Place 3D (00’), Best of Show (03’), 1st Place 3D (04’), 3rd Place 2D (05’)
• Stars of Texas Annual Exhibition— Depot Cultural Center, Brownwood, TX
2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006. AWARDS: Best of Show (00’), Hon. Mention (04’)
• CIVA Silver Competition— Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA. June 2005
• Seeds Competition— Orange County, CA. May 2005
• Space and Spirit Juried Exhibition— Grand Rapids: Calvin College. Nov 2004
• 17th Annual Ecclesiastical Art Exhibit— Historic Trinity Lutheran Church, Detroit, MI. May 2003
• The Eighth Annual National Christian Fine Arts Exhibit— AWARD:1st Place Overall. Henderson Fine Arts Center, Farmington, NM. May 2000
3D COMMISSIONS
MIXED MEDIA
• Mercy Seat— Interior installation/sculpture. Mixed media: aluminum, wood, steel (2 wall-pieces, 22’x 14’). LCU, Lubbock, TX, Aug 2019
• Redemption Gardens Outdoor Sculpture Site (Proposal)__ Figurative maquettes (thee at.25 scale), 3D site model. 2012- fall 2016
• Park and Meditative Site (Proposal)— Maquette and 3D site model, New Horizons Inc., Goldthwaite, TX, Jan 2008
• Jacobs Dream— Bronze and Limestone, site-specific environmental work. 28ft ht x 60ftx120 ft), ACU, Abilene, TX . Sep 2006
MISC HONORS
• Double Vision— TEDxACU , Speaker/Artists: Jack Maxwell, Jill Maxwell, Cullen Auditorium, Abilene, TX, April 17, 2015
• Texas Bucket List- Onsite Interview for television broadcast (aired April 5, 2015), KYXS, ABC
• Smithsonian X 3D— (Invited artist exhibitor/participant) Emerging Tech in 3D generation, Washington DC, Nov 13-15, 2013
• 2008 Telly Award recipient, The Making of Jacob’s Dream (PBS), 2008
• 2007-08 Texas State Artist (3-d category), Top 10 Finalist, 2007
• 2007 Congratulatory Resolution in regard to Jacob’s Dream— 80th Regular Legislative Session. Austin, TX
Journal of the State of Texas House of Representatives, May 25, 2007