On Wednesday, Jan. 19, Jelly Massee held her painting ‘Sugar Bush’ one last time before handing it to the MRC where it will be on permanent display, part of an initiative to showcase art from the Pontiac region. The painting, depicting a man working with his horse on a maple syrup run, is a soft, sepia-toned portrayal of a moment in history. Massee reflects in her painting a . . .
quiet, uncelebrated event, of the day-to-day, the mundane, and she gives dignity to her subject. “It’s my uncle in the painting, making maple syrup in the 1940’s,” she said, of the figure amongst the trees.
The accomplished representational artist spoke with THE EQUITY at her home in L’Île-du-Grand-Calumet, where she moved a couple of years ago after retiring from a career as an administrator. Her retirement has given her the opportunity to spend more time painting, and she is relishing the opportunity to spend time with her art. “I paint, or work with charcoal, or pencils every day. For me, this is part of my daily life, my routine.”
And it shows. To describe Massee as a prolific artist would be a considerable understatement. The art collected on her walls is all hers, and it seems impossible that one person could have been responsible for so many paintings. One person to have captured so much detail.
Massee has some themes that she particularly enjoys. “I like rust,” she admitted. A very detailed piece portraying a rusty hinge hangs on one wall, and in another room is a painting of a rusting car. “There is something about rust, the colours, the texture — it’s beautiful. And not an easy thing to represent accurately; I enjoy the challenge.”
Massee is also drawn toward historical paintings. She captures her subjects with stunning realism, preserving a moment in time. Whether it be a painting of a farmer in the field, a drawing of a celebrity (she is particularly fond of Elvis) or a photographic representation of a location — she puts effort into making sure she is representing her subject with as much historical accuracy as possible.
“This is a historical picture of Pembroke in the 1950’s” she said, indicating a large painting. The view is of the town centre, and some of the shops are so clearly depicted, their signs are legible. “I painted this from a postcard,” she said. “And when I tried to make out the movie that was playing at the cinema, the photo I was working from was too blurry. So I asked around, and wouldn’t you know, someone in the Pontiac, who knows what movie was showing that exact week, reached out to me. So I was able to show the correct film that was playing in the theatre at the time,” she laughed.
Many of Massee’s creations involve animals. Her portfolio offers horses, dogs, cats, and incredibly detailed images of insects. One of her biggest paintings, a polar bear, hangs upstairs outside her studio. “I love the detail on that one,” she said, inviting closer scrutiny. Massee takes time to create each individual hair in some places, and the realism she is able to create is astonishing. The translucence of the fur and reflection of light, the shadows and textures merge to render a complex experience for the viewer.
Looking at another drawing, of a fox, she remarked on the different textures of fur, noting “you can tell how soft and fluffy this fur is in his ears, and how sleek and shiny his coat is in comparison.”
Not bad for someone who is self-taught.
“I do a lot of drawing — I have done, since I can remember. Along the way, I have probably figured out some of the things I would’ve learned by going to art school,” she said. As an artist who paints or draws every single day, Massee is in constant need of new subject matter to represent. Seeking new challenges, it seems reasonable she would find inspiration in unusual places. “I love this one,” she said, pointing to a painting of a sandwich. But the painting next to it, a banana, demanded attention.
Perhaps it is the contrast, the yellow fruit against a solid black background — but the banana stands out. “It’s hard not to notice that one,” she admitted. Dwelling on the textures of a banana — the mottled inside of the peel, the sleek outer skin, the subtle dapples of the fruit — knowing where to aim the brush takes considerable talent, and a lot of practice. Massee captures her textures with a realism that draws the viewer in, as if we need to see the brushstrokes to confirm it is a painting.
The sheer volume of Massee’s work is stunning, but her versatility and confidence is equally impressive. Massee makes her own jewelery, and has a well-stocked studio for making interesting and beautiful pieces.
It doesn’t seem possible that there would be enough time in a day to account for the volume of incredibly realistic art Massee creates. Flipping through a binder of drawings, she reveals pages and pages of finished pieces, a dizzying array of flowers, animals, people and places. Some of her fine art pieces can be found on her website https://www.jellymassee.com/ by clicking on ‘art’ and exploring the options. Her “Sugar Bush” painting is on display at the MRC in Campbell’s Bay as part of the permanent public art collection there.
