Jack Cocker

Biography

Jack Cocker

Emerging artist Jack Cocker (born 2001) grew up in Norwich, ON.  After graduating from high school, he attended H.B. Beal Secondary School in London.  In June 2024 he graduated from Western University with his BFA, Honours Specialization in Studio Art and is currently in his first year of his MFA at the Emily Carr School of Art + Design in Vancouver.

In 2024 he was named “One to Watch” by the Canadian Art Junkie and was selected as a “2024 Art Favourite” in Art Canada Institute’s year-end list.  The March 2025 Canadian House and Home magazine prominently featured Cocker’s paintings in their Artist File column, a recurring profile on emerging artists selected by art advisor Diana Hamm.

Cocker’s paintings are in private collections across Canada including the Ivey Business School.

Currently in his practice, Jack uses figurative and landscape painting to explore imagery familiar to him in South-Western Ontario, Canada.  Ideas such as genuineness, connection, spirit, memory, and the specific notes of culture intrigue him from the area.  The subjects he chooses to paint, which often stem from a fragment of an image like a figure or a landmark, a memory, or a story he’s heard, spark a prolonged curiosity which demands they be explored through painting, leading to them growing and changing throughout the process of arriving at the finished picture.  Oftentimes, these subjects are those Jack is very familiar with, usually by some sort of personal connection, giving the paintings an autobiographical undertone.  While the image and its backstory remain important to him, what captures his interest in the first place is the process of negotiating the image with paint and his imagination in creating a picture that continues to make painting challenging and deeply rewarding for him.

Selected Works

Exhibitions

Jack Cocker

November 8 - November 29 - 2025

Jack Cocker “New Paintings”

"New Paintings" explore ideas such as genuineness, connection, spirit and memory.

More
Art Toronto

October 23 - October 26 - 2025

Art Toronto 2025

Join us for Art Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre October 23 - 26, 2025

More

Curriculum Vitae

BORN

in 2001, grew up in Norwich, ON

EDUCATION

2026 Candidate for Master of Fine Arts, Emily Carr + Design University, Vancouver, BC
2024  Bachelor of Fine Arts, Honours Specialization in Studio Art, Western University, London, ON
2019  Bealart Foundations, H.B. Beal Secondary School, London, ON

EXHIBITIONS

2025 “New Paintings”, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON (solo)
2025 Art with Heart Auction 2025, Casey House, Toronto, ON

2024 “Holiday From Real”, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON (solo)
2024 UPwithART Auction 2024, Museum London
2024 Sincerely, John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, Western University
2024 Annual Juried Exhibition 22, Western University

2023  “Round Here”, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON (solo)
2023 The Paradox of Progress, John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, Western University
2023 Allegory, John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, Western University
2023  “Sustain.Ability”, University Community Centre, Western University, London, ON
2023 “Annual Juried Exhibition 21”, Western University, London, ON (3rd place prize)
2023  “Goodness, Present & Hallowed”, ArtLab Gallery Vitrine, Western University, London, ON
2023  “Nuit Violette: Utopia”, Western University, London, ON

2022 “When I hear ART, I think of…”, University Community Centre, Western University, London, ON
2022  “Objectlings, Thinglings, Wildlings, John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, Western University, London, ON

PUBLICATIONS

2025 “Artist File”, Diana Hamm, Canadian House and Home Magazine
2023 “Jack Cocker – One to Watch” – Canadian Art Junkie
2023 Symposium Volume 10 Issue 2 – Western University
2022  Symposium Volume 10, Issue 1, Western University, London, ON

AWARDS / GRANTS

2024 Annual Juried Exhibition 22 – Third Prize, Jury Vote
2023 Gray Creative Arts Award in Visual Arts
2023 Kate and Robert Taylor Scholarship in Visual Arts
2023 Bess A. Hewitt Scholarship Recipient
2023 Annual Juried Exhibition 21 – Third Prize, Jury Vote

News

Jack Cocker Opening Reception

Join us on Saturday, November 8 from 2-4pm for the Opening Reception for Jack Cocker

More
Jack Cocker

Jack Cocker Feature in Canadian House & Home

Many thanks to Diana Hamm for her feature article on Jack Cocker in Canadian House and Home's March 2025 magazine issue. 

More
Michael Pszczonak