He is an internationally renowned Papua New Guinean visual/performance artist, philanthropist, and social advocate.
He recently co-starred in Feather, a production debuting at the 2013 New York Musical Theatre festival.
His name is Jeffry Feeger. Jeffry was born in June 13, 1983 in Kerema Town. His mother is from Tapaia Village, Malalua District, Gulf Province and father from Stuttgart, Germany.
Jeffry grew up in various parts of PNG before settling in Port Moresby where he eventually began to pursue a career in visual art in 2003.
Mostly self-taught, Jeffry’s artwork focuses on portraiture painting.
“Some of my earliest memories are of scribbling. My father was once a math teacher at Kokopo high school and used to bring home scrap paper for my older brother and I to draw on.
“I recall being smacked on my hands by my expat teacher in grade one for scribbling in my exercise books” Jeffrey recalls.
Through experimentation, Jeffrey learnt to draw anything from his imagination. At school, he was known as ‘the artist’, and he says it felt inevitable that it would be something he would eventually pursue.
He recalls that it wasn’t until after completing grade 12 in 2001 that he had a clear vision of himself making a living from painting portraits.
“My first ever portrait was of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a Simbu headdress, it was purchased and sent to the PNG High Commission in London in 2002. I have painted mostly portraits for a living ever since then” Jeffry shared.
In 2005 Jeffry moved to Bougainville with his wife Fiona.
“I consider the 3 years I spent in Buka from 2005 to 2008 with my wife Fiona as my ‘bush material University degree’.
“It was there that I learnt life skills I had missed out on growing up, such as gardening and fishing. During those days I also recall sketching hundreds of portraits at Buka Market for 5 or 10 Kina, it was enough to get us something to eat for the day or buy supplies, medicine etc.
When we made the move to Port Moresby I began to get seriously about painting, locking my self indoors for months, painting a collection of portraits of people I met at Buka Market.
That collection was exhibited in my first ever solo International show, a sell-out show at the Whitespace gallery in Auckland New Zealand 2009.
His work started getting a lot of recognition and Jeffry was soon offered opportunities to travel abroad, including Shanghai, China for the 2010 World Exposition as the curator for the PNG Showcase, giving him the opportunity to do live painting on stage to music, performing in various venues throughout Shanghai.
“I returned to PNG with a new found vision for my art not only as a painter but as a live performance painter.
The concept was attractive to many local companies and organizations looking for something unique to offer for their entertainment and fundraising events and Jeffrey seized the opportunity to build a successful business.
“Ever since, I have been regularly performing and the auction and sale of my live works have help to raise over half a million Kina for numerous charities, health and educational organizations throughout PNG”
Later in 2010 Jeffrey filmed himself painting at home to music and uploaded it to his Youtube channel. His video caught the attention of a movie producer based in Loss Angeles. The director invited Jeffry to spend few weeks in LA with him to workshop a musical theatre concept that incorporated Jeffrey’s live art.
“It was an interesting endeavor for me, however I soon realized it would take more than just a few weeks in New York to really make a splash
“I returned home and made a move to Alotau Millne Bay Province for a simpler lifestyle that I had long been craving” he says.
After a few more international trips including travel to France and Andorra in 2014 for the UNESCO art camp, Jeffry decided to settled down and focus more on family, children and working alongside the talented art community of Alotau, especially through the Contemporary Art Association ‘28Kreativ’
“With the onset of popular digital social media platforms, I am able to continue to create and stay in touch with the contacts needed to sustain my career as an artist.
“It is a dream of mine to one day help catalyze the formation of a troupe of the finest PNG performers, artists, musicians, dancers, for a global tour, not only carrying the flag of PNG, but an invaluable message for the world, one of a great reverence for our sacred mother earth and an awakening of human consciousness.
“I am all for living more sustainably and in balance with the land of which our ancient Melanesian culture still has many things left to teach the new world”
This is the story of Jeffry Feeger, a fine PNG artist, entrepreneur and father.
