Jacques Rolin Bredy

Jacques Rolin Bredy, 53, passed away last week in his home studio in Newark, N.J.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 3, 1970, Jacques grew up in New York City, where he attended Manhattan's High School of Art and Design ('88). He then attended the School of Visual Arts and the Art Students League. He studied under Gustav Rehberger, Irwin Greenberg, Max Ginzburg, Marvin Mattleson and Steven Assael.

A gifted artist, Jacques was influenced in his youth by comic book and fantasy artists such as Boris Vallejo and Frank Frazetta. He received his first commission as an illustrator at age 16 and used the money he earned to buy his first drafting table. He was chosen, at only age 24, to create the cover art for Conan the Savage, vol. 1 #7 and was subsequently featured in Marvel Comics Magazine. He went on to create thousands of works as an illustrator, sculptor, concept artist, and digital artist for comics, movies, games, trading cards, toys, and book publishing industries working for DC Comics, Marvel, Warner Brothers, Disney, New Line Cinema, Mattel, Hasbro, Art Asylum, Toy Biz, High5Games, Avon Books, ACE Books, Wizards of the Coast, Gimmie Games, and Todd McFarlane. His projects included Spider-man, Lord of the Rings, Batman Begins, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and other iconic properties. He was liked and respected by fellow artists, colleagues and clients who admired his creativity, talent, and his determination to sustain a creative life.

In addition to his more commercial work, Jacques was a dedicated and profoundly generous multidisciplinary fine artist with an insatiable and inquisitive mind. His sensitively rendered realistic drawings and paintings lure in the viewer with quiet intensity.

Never without a sketchpad, Jacques would draw constantly, capturing studies of friends, family, scenes of urban life, and fantasy drawings from his imagination. He participated in artist circles at the League and Spring Street Studios ("Minerva's"). Jacques had an encyclopedic knowledge of fine art techniques from the Renaissance to a more contemporary creative suite of digital tools. He was a supportive mentor of many emerging artists.

Jacques was shown at Paul Robeson Gallery, Drawing Discourse, and FigureNOW and was in many shows where he was a finalist such as the Art Renewal Center and the Portrait Society of America. He was awarded the Albert Dorne Memorial Award at the Society of Illustrators in addition to numerous prestigious awards and recognitions over his lifetime. He has been featured in publications such as The Artist's Magazine, Strokes of Genius, Studio Visit Magazine, and Art Buzz. He was regularly featured in Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. Jacques' peers include Christopher Puglisese, Karen Kaapcke, Dorian Vellejo, Chris McGrath and Dave Cortes.

Many of his best known personal works were depictions of his mother, with whom he was close. She emigrated from Haiti during the tumultuous years under the regime of "Papa Doc" Duvalier.

Jacques said about his own work, "My work is honest, obsessive, arduous, and liberating... the diversity of my subjects reflects the multifaceted palette from which I choose. Contrast is important, the people, the objects and their juxtaposition. I explore the questions...and embrace the communication it conjures."

Jacques was also a seeker, drawn to the spiritual and the arcane. He explored human self-perception and the way communication and beliefs shape our world. At the end of his life he had been attending a Pentecostal church regularly.

Jacques was preceded in death by his mother Alourdes "Jou Jou" Desir Bredy and is survived by his father Jacques Bredy, his sisters Marie-Jo Bredy, Marie Lucie Bredy Nicolas, and his niece Ysabelle Claire-Veronique Bredy, his aunts and uncles Claudette B. Graham, Marie Alice Bredy, Florence Bredy, Rollande Bredy Petit, Michelle Poulakis, Dominique Bredy, his cousins Jude Gelin, Carmello Elie, Judith Elie, Florence Elie Metellus, Reginalde Elie Jodesty, Leonie Hermantin, Warda Hermantin, and his nieces and nephews Valerie Nicholas, Vanessa Nicholas, Alex Nicholas, and Alain Nicholas, as well many extended family members.

He also leaves behind his beloved Alexandra Phoenix and the child of his heart Aarin Lowe. Jacques' family would like to offer special thanks to his friend and mentor Steven Assael and friends Michel and Daniel Belknap and Rob Gil who were like a second family to him.

Jacques had an expansive and diverse group of friends who will mourn his loss.

"My brother was a talented artist and enigma who jealously guarded his privacy," said Marie-Jo Bredy. "But when he decided to allow someone into his secret garden, he would share his knowledge on meditation, spirituality, music and his passion for the arts. He was humorous and witty, a gentle giant who loved children and his family. He was a loving son, brother, uncle, and cousin. We will all miss him."

He died as he lived, in the midst of his paintings. Before he passed away, he was creating something new with a group of friends called Luminus Books, which sought to discover and champion global fine artists, illustrators, and sculptors.

A memorial celebration will be held on Monday, June 5, 2023 from 4pm - 8pm at Mack Memorial Home at 1245 Paterson Plank Rd, Secaucus, NJ 07094.