Across drawings, collages, and paintings, Josh Jefferson (b. 1977, St. Petersburg, Florida) creates improvisational, additive compositions that reside between figuration and abstraction. His paintings are known for fluid, wave-like brushstrokes and vibratory optical effects achieved through specific color combinations. Raised in California, where he was steeped in skateboarding and surf culture, Jefferson began making art in the 1990s. His eclectic approach has been compared to Barry McGee’s West Coast street art, though the artist has cited a range of influences, from Ken Price’s sculptures and outsider art to painters such as Edvard Munch, Cecily Brown, and Misaki Kawai. Jefferson received a BFA in 2003 from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and has shown in galleries in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.