"My drawing process is simple: I put pen to paper and make a line, followed by thousands of more lines that morph into unique artworks. Much of my emphasis on patterns and precision comes from having Asperger Syndrome, which presents itself as an ability to do repetitive line work for hours on end."
In late 2020, Jeff learned of his Asperger Syndrome profile. For Jeff, Asperger’s presents itself as an ability for extreme focus, which translates into the skill to do long stints of repetitive line-work, and a fierce dedication to continual refinement of his artistic tendencies.
Jeff's recent solo art exhibition was at Gordy Fine Art (Indiana, USA), the same gallery that now represents his art. That solo exhibition included several Buddhist-themed pieces, all of which integrated his academic research with his personal artistic and spiritual practice. Hence, it is no surprise that Jeff is working on a book tentatively titled, "Zen and the Artful Buddhist: Asperger’s, Art, and Academia."
A native of Southern California with a BA in Religious Studies from UCSB, an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, Jeff Brackett has a long history of studying the intersections of religious and spiritual practices. He was an art major for a year, but he soon took up another passion: the academic study of religion, which landed him in India for three years during graduate school. He went on to win the highest teaching award at Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana), where he taught courses about Hinduism, Buddhism, World Religions, and Religion and Pop Culture until he retired (early) in May 2022.
Jeff's transition to art began in October 2016, when he began an intensive daily-drawing practice. By 2017, he started showing his work in local and national juried art shows. Since then, he has won a number of awards and had his work published in several art magazines.
