Jerry McLaughlin is best known for his powerful, minimalist paintings built through an intensive working of layers of oil paint, pigments, and cold wax medium, along with additives like earth, sand, and wood ash. The primitive shapes, structural lines, and subtle textures of his monochromatic works are informed by the architectural world of concrete, adobe, stone, and steel, as well as the decay and weathering of those surfaces. Since moving to San Miguel de Allende in 2019, the influence of the El Bajio region of central Mexico is undeniable.
Though McLaughlin is now a full-time abstract artist, he initially trained as a pediatric critical care physician, an influence still palpable in his work. In 2017, he co-authored the first-ever comprehensive book on cold wax medium, Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations, winner of two international book awards. He is represented by DZINE Gallery in San Francisco and HG Contemporary in New York City. He lives with his husband, Mike, and their dog, Bert.