The Malta Independent on Sunday
THE COLOUR PURPLE Remembering Jackie Magri
A collective exhibition at Gallary 23, Balzan, by the friends of Jackie Magri in aid of Puttinu Cares
Why this exhibition? Quite simply because Jackie was so loved by many. Painting was an integral part of her life and she fell in love with it from her school years. She was greatly inspired and mentored by her diverse art teachers through the years and always encouraged by her friends and fellow artists especially by the Siggiewi group under the tutorship of Debbie Caruana Dingli and Tonio Mallia.
A great bond formed between us. News of her illness shocked us all at the time but the way she fought it and persevered with her art was an inspiration to say the least.
Painting had been a constant companion to Jackie all through her life. A very steady friend. While we were struggling with Covid 19 and the isolation that came with it, she was facing a much harsher battle with cancer which took her to the UK and away from her comfort zone and home.
Still she found the will, deep within, to express herself in art and on her return to Malta, she showed much determination to immerse herself once again in expression through oil painting. She showed formidable moral strength and passion which was greatly backed by her faith, personal prayer and zest for life. Her dear friend Debbie once wrote about Jackie and her prayer life – “prayer is when a talent is used to express wonder, to give joy and achieve calm. To thank.. to ask…. to receive. This is bringing art down to its barest form. Timeless. A heartfelt expression that is shared.” Jackie Magri’s painting reflects all this.
Her inquisitive nature and intuition as well as her sense of humour and wit will never be forgotten. They also flow out of her various works. She had tried her hand at many different art forms but oil painting seemed to be her preferred choice. Colour, design, texture and patterns all combine on her canvas to give the result she desired.
When Jackie painted, she entered a world of her own and her art seemed to just pour out of her. You can sense her freedom as she splashed on thick paint! Her sense of colour was unique and nothing limited her spirit of adventure when it came to use of the colour purple being one of the most predominant colours on her palette!
As friends of Jackie we wish to celebrate her life and her artistic talent by gathering our own works together in an exhibition to express our joy of having known her. Styles may differ and media too, but we all share the desire to contribute to this noble cause which was so close to Jackie’s heart. She knew firsthand of the trials and sufferings of all cancer patients, the help they need, the care and compassion. Puttinu Cares supports many patients and it was simply our desire to follow Jackie’s example and participate in raising funds for this wonderful cause by offering to donate all our paintings to their venture. We hope that you will help us achieve this.