jKEO the artist & the art

Jim painting in Chaco NM region

ARTIST STATEMENT

My practice is an intuitive and spontaneous act of making, where the stillness in mind meets the body in motion, and where intention meets chance.

Rooted in the discipline of Japanese shodo calligraphy, my work emerges from a contemplative mind, carried by the energy, movement, and breath of the body, as I synthesize materials and gestures within a play of impulse and precision.

I work across paper, canvas, and natural materials to explore a threshold between motion and stillness, between abstraction and form. In a world that rarely pauses, my work offers a moment of contemplation, stillness, and a return to an embodied mind.

I’m captivated by your artwork. It is a reflection of your spirit. Most splendid

use of paint. You express the infinite.

- Darek Shapiro -

BIO

Keo’s artistic journey has been shaped by a wide range of influences, each leaving a distinct imprint on his skill and approach. Keo’s painting practice was profoundly shaped after studying the East Asian art of shodo calligraphy during Zen meditation retreats with artist and Zen scholar Kaz Tanahashi. The discipline of calligraphy resonated deeply with his practice of zazen meditation and the internal martial arts of tai chi and qi gong. These disciplines has collectively informed his life, his spirituality, and his creative process.

As Yuji Akimoto writes, “In calligraphy, unlike painting, there is no going back to correct things. What is on the paper is there for good, and for this reason, it is called a one-time-only art, as irreversible as time itself.”

Another pivotal moment came when Keo met international artist Tadashi Hayakawa during a workshop at an arts center, an encounter that sparked a friendship and had a lasting influence on his art and life.

In addition to his art practice, Jim is a licensed architect with a deep interest in wellbeing and human flourishing within the built environment. His architectural work explores the biological and cognitive effects of space, developing design approaches that foster health and wellbeing for occupants. After 20 years of living in Colorado, Jim now splits time between his architecture practice in Western Colorado and his art studio and home in Taos, NM.

With regular journeys to the desert, participation in meditation and calligraphy retreats, and ongoing studio workshops with Tadashi Hayakawa, Keo continues to expand the scale, scope, and depth of his extemporaneous works.

EAST ASIAN CALLIGRAPHY

Through the brush and art of shodo, kanji characters are created with a state of mind known as mushin (no mind state). The foundations of Japanese calligraphy originated in China during the Han dynasty, dating back to 220 AD, with ideographic elements dating as far back as 2500 BC. To practice Shodo calligraphy, one must clear one's mind and let the brush and letters flow out of themselves, effortlessly with no hesitation. purely within the moment. Jim continues to devote time to this practice evolving a style of shodo that is integral to his other work.

Desert wilderness, NM