DAVID ‘JACK’ POTTINGER: Artist Extraordinaire
 On February 13, 2007, the eyes of one of Jamaica’s most talented sons closed. David Pottinger was one of Jamaica’s most recognizable artists. His works not only adorn the walls of the National Gallery of Jamaica, but also form part of numerous private collections. He lived a simple life; however, he left behind a very rich legacy which will forever be remembered.
Pottinger began painting circa 1940s, however, it was not until he attended art classes at the Institute of Jamaica’s Junior Centre that he received any kind of formal training in this type of art. Prior to this, he had dabbled in other types of ‘art’ including sign painting, car painting and house painting, for which his mother had paid for lessons. At the Junior Centre he was tutored by Edna Manley and shared classes with Ralph Campbell, Henry Daley and Albert Huie, who all rose to prominence in the field of art and are collectively referred to as ‘the Institute Group’. Pottinger learnt how to draw in these classes and this combined with his previous knowledge of use of colours provided the foundation for his career in painting.
Pottinger had a love affair with the city of Kingston, especially downtown Kingston, which was the source of inspiration for most of his work. This is evident in his depictions of various urban scenes, market scenes and architecture. However, his themes later widened to include rural scenes, religious scenes, landscapes and Jamaican traditions.
During his over sixty years of painting, Pottinger’s style changed. Experts in the field have identified three distinct changes throughout his career. In the early part of his career, his art was described as being fluid and full of movement. Pottinger used bright colours, especially cobalt blue which he frequently used, and his focus was mostly on the architecture of the city. By the late fifties and sixties, however, the bright colours gave way to dark ones. The characters in his paintings for this period were also done with heavy black outlines. In the seventies, the colours became even darker and his focus shifted from buildings to people. Later in the eighties, the bright colours re-emerged. However, his art was described as static during this period.
The first exhibition where Pottinger’s work was displayed was one presented by the Institute of Jamaica in 1945 entitled “Exhibition of West Indian Painting”. He submitted six pieces of work for this exhibition which were well received. His works have been exhibited a lot since then, appearing in numerous exhibitions. The National Gallery of Jamaica has several pieces of his work that were either donated to them or purchased. His works have become collector’s items and so have been acquired by individuals for their private collections.
Over the years, David Pottinger has received many awards. His first award was a monetary one for a submission that was the ‘Best Painting’ in the All Island Exhibition of paintings in 1965. Two of his most significant achievements are his receiving the Silver Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica in 1987 and the Order of Distinction from the Governor General of Jamaica in the following year.
Despite all this recognition, Pottinger remained a simple man who loved to sit on the corner of the street and draw and paint. Success did not change him and it appears that he did not even truly realize his value. His driving force was never money, but his love of art. His contribution to art and the documentation of Jamaica’s history is undeniable as through his eyes we have witnessed the development and changes in the city of Kingston.
Thank you ‘Uncle Jack’.
Reference
David Pottinger: A Retrospective. Kingston: National Gallery of Jamaica, 2001.
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