My Jimi Jesus - Painting by A.M. Rush
In her teenage art class, A.M. Rush was asked to create a portrait of someone she truly admired. She didn’t hesitate. While her classmates sifted through pop culture icons of the time, Alison went straight to Jimi Hendrix.
She was just 17 when she first encountered his music—an experience that struck her like lightning. In a sea of manufactured radio hits, Hendrix’s sound was something entirely different: soulful, rebellious, otherworldly. His guitar wasn’t just an instrument; it was a voice. A cry. A fire. For Alison, painting his portrait was not about celebrity—it was about reverence. About spirit. About seeing him not just as a musician, but as a kind of prophet of sound.
That’s how Jimi Jesus came to be.
In her teenage art class, A.M. Rush was asked to create a portrait of someone she truly admired. She didn’t hesitate. While her classmates sifted through pop culture icons of the time, Alison went straight to Jimi Hendrix.
She was just 17 when she first encountered his music—an experience that struck her like lightning. In a sea of manufactured radio hits, Hendrix’s sound was something entirely different: soulful, rebellious, otherworldly. His guitar wasn’t just an instrument; it was a voice. A cry. A fire. For Alison, painting his portrait was not about celebrity—it was about reverence. About spirit. About seeing him not just as a musician, but as a kind of prophet of sound.
That’s how Jimi Jesus came to be.
In her teenage art class, A.M. Rush was asked to create a portrait of someone she truly admired. She didn’t hesitate. While her classmates sifted through pop culture icons of the time, Alison went straight to Jimi Hendrix.
She was just 17 when she first encountered his music—an experience that struck her like lightning. In a sea of manufactured radio hits, Hendrix’s sound was something entirely different: soulful, rebellious, otherworldly. His guitar wasn’t just an instrument; it was a voice. A cry. A fire. For Alison, painting his portrait was not about celebrity—it was about reverence. About spirit. About seeing him not just as a musician, but as a kind of prophet of sound.
That’s how Jimi Jesus came to be.
Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970)
Born Johnny Allen Hendrix in Seattle, Washington, and later renamed James Marshall Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix is widely regarded as one of the greatest electric guitarists in history. His approach to music broke boundaries—combining blues, rock, soul, and psychedelia into a style that had never been heard before and has never truly been replicated since.
Self-taught, left-handed, and often playing a right-handed guitar flipped upside down, Hendrix’s playing style was revolutionary. With soaring solos, feedback experimentation, and an intuitive mastery of tone, he didn’t just play the guitar—he reinvented it.
After rising to fame in the UK, his breakout performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 introduced him to a global audience. He followed it with unforgettable albums like Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, and capped his legacy with a legendary performance at Woodstock in 1969, where he reinterpreted The Star-Spangled Banner in a haunting, defiant display.
Yet Hendrix’s career burned fast and bright. He died in 1970 at just 27 years old, joining what would become known as the “27 Club” of musicians lost too soon. But his influence has never faded.
Hendrix wasn’t just a musician. He was a force—a symbol of freedom, raw expression, and creative fearlessness. For A.M. Rush, he wasn’t just a subject to paint. He was a presence to honour.
Artwork Details
Year: 2025
Frame Size: 640x490x55mm
Ready to hang: Yes
Frame: Yes
Materials: Acrylic paint on stretched canvas.
Viewing & Pick-Up
Viewing and pick-up available from G16 Studios, Upper Hutt, New Zealand.
Please contact us to arrange a time or see open times.
Shipping & Delivery
Ships from: New Zealand
Packaging: Carefully packaged to prevent damage
International Shipping: Available (check rates at checkout)