Jonathan Bradstreet (b. 1976)

Jonathan Bradstreet grew up in the small town of Eliot, ME and was the 13th generation of his family to be raised there. He became interested in drawing at age four, and started out by rendering characterized faces and automobiles. During these early years, he was encouraged by family and teachers to continue making pictures and at age twelve, began taking oil painting lessons, first learning the glazing technique.

After graduating high school, Jonathan attended The Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, majoring in Illustration. There he learned color theory, composition, anatomy and an understanding of the tools he would need in order to turn his imagination into reality. He was one of a few students recognized with an award for 'Excellence In First Year's Work'. In his junior year, he was amongst the first to be chosen for MassArt's new program of Student Mentors, responsible for counseling students on academic, social and personal issues. He remained a mentor until he graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Throughout his life there have been very specific themes and genres that were predominant in his artwork and personality. While he is versatile, able to paint traditional subjects like portraits and landscapes, the majority of his work represents mid 20th Century Americana. Junk cars, pin-ups, diners, gas stations and pulp covers are all favorite subjects, but above all of them is another: Hot Rods.

Jonathan grew up around hot rods and antique cars, and was exposed to them at a very early age. The sleak lines of finely crafted automobiles most likely sparked Jonathan's early interests in drawing. His Uncle Jim had been a hot rodder for decades and his Uncle Tom raced muscle cars at New England Dragway in the early 1970s; both were very influencial to Jonathan. He often rode to hot rod shows in one of Uncle Jim's hot rods or went to the drag races with Uncle Tom.

Influenced by countless greasers over the years and turned on to '50s design and style, Jonathan became interested in traditional hot rods and, in a broader sense, the unique and interesting history that accompanies objects in our modern society, especially that of mid-century America. The designs, styles, colors and mood of that span of decades appealed to him in such a way that he began collecting artifacts of the time and pulled design and stylistic cues from them to use in his own work, if appropriate.

Jon has spent his fair share of time working on cars, as well. After acquiring vast technical knowledge from hot rod magazines, vintage car manuals, constant drawing and observation and the hot rod community at large, he started tinkering with old cars in his teens. He had many different projects and before college, bought a derelict 1930 Ford 'Model A' coupe. Over the past decade, the car has been completely disassembled, reengineered and rebuilt in the fashion of a late 1950's built hot rod. The work on the coupe continues, but soon it will be tearing up the highways and back roads of New England.

Today, Jonathan paints primarily in oil and watercolor. Most of his art is created for exhibition, to sell, print or on commission. After graduating from MassArt, his first job was as Continuity Sketch Artist for the film IN THE BEDROOM, which was later nominated for five Academy Awards and three Golden Globes, amongst other film accolades, including winning a Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize. His drawing and compositional skills helped the director, Todd Field's vision become a reality as he and Jonathan worked together setting up the key shots for the cast and crew to use as a visual shooting guide.

Since gaining his BFA from MassArt, he has worked for many clients, including GreeneStreet Films, Goodmachine Films, Northeastern University, Massachusetts College of Art, and the National Fire Protection Association. He has also been invited to show at exhibitions and at New England galleries, including the 100 Market Street Gallery in Portsmouth, NH and on Capitol Hill in Boston, MA.

In the future, Jonathan hopes to continue making art for himself and to share with others. Whether it’s hanging in a gallery, printed in a magazine or book cover, a poster, online, or in the sleek lines of one of his cars, Jonathan enjoys creating art that attracts the eye and shows you his point of view.