Jay Noble Bartholomew

Hi there! I’m Jay, an acrylic painter with a love for vibrant skies, moody horizons, and colorful landscapes that whisper, “Come explore.”

 

My creative journey didn’t start with a paintbrush—it started with a pencil and a talking pig. After reading Charlotte’s Web in second grade, I was hooked on storytelling. I started writing stories full of quirky talking animals, and my teacher couldn’t get enough. That spark stayed with me through the years, eventually growing into a full-length spy thriller I tackled during NaNoWriMo, and even a sci-fi novel that got so real the characters decided to take over the plot (seriously—they staged a literary coup).

But life has its own plot twists. While studying computer science in college, I got seriously ill and it made me rethink everything. I realized I didn’t want to live my life in a cubicle—and instead ended up in a cabinet-making factory. Two years later, I was fixing their computers. That led to a long and winding career in IT… but I never let go of that creative spark.

In 2008, I joined a class studying The Artist’s Way, and one evening, a fellow artist offered to teach charcoal drawing. I said yes. That night changed everything. I dove headfirst into a 100-day art challenge—drawing, painting, experimenting with oils, watercolors, and eventually acrylics which won me over. They’re bold, fast, and don’t make a mess (well, not too much of one).

These days, I paint like I write—intuitively. I usually start with the sky, painting whatever mood I’m in. Then I work my way forward from the horizon, letting the scene unfold. Sometimes that means painting over parts I really loved, but that’s part of the process. It’s a bit like storytelling: you follow the feeling.

One of my favorite things? When kids—especially junior high and younger—come by my booth and fall in love with a painting. I love hearing about what they’re creating, and I hope I’m planting a few creative seeds of inspiration in the next generation.

Thanks for being part of this journey. Whether you’re here for the colors, the stories, or just to enjoy the view—I’m glad you stopped by.

Painting outside

My wife Donna and I have two “adult” children.  We moved to Danielson, Connecticut in 2023 from the Dallas, Texas area.  We live here with my mother-in-law and my parents along with too many pets to count. 

My Support Team

Malcolm Reynolds is our very own brown coat (Firefly reference)

He is a Vizsla mix we picked up at at animal rescue center as a puppy – we were told he was a chocolate lab mix at the time.  He is a lovable goofy dog that feels most comfortable squeezing in next to you in the recliner (he must be on the left side though!)

Daisy Mae

We picked up Daisy at the local pound as a puppy where we first named her Roscoe as they thought she was a boy.   She is a Texas Heeler mix as far as we know.

Daisy loves more than anything to chase toys and her toy of choice is the frisbee (we can’t even call it by name or we will get her started!)

Cisco Ramon

Cisco is another rescue pet that was originally claimed by Malcolm.  Malcolm would grab a string and run around the house to get Cisco to chase it.

Cisco is a loving cat, sometimes too much!  He loves to help you out when you are busy by making sure aren’t concentrating too much on that screen he is now in front of!