2011 the End

The Day Ends and a New Year Begins - 2012 What Will You Have In Store For Us.

This last year has been a roller coaster ride for our family, great events and hard times also.  Makes you reflect as to what is of importance in your life.  Why we strive to become better each year with our New Years resolutions.  The older I get the more I realize what is important to me and what happiness is: Love, Passion, Family and Intregrity.

Here is a recap of the year, more or less:

• Our Grandson Joseph was in Alaska for his 1st Birthday,  what a incredible pleasure that was.
• Our Son Ryan graduated college, and was hired right away by the State Of Alaska.
• Our Daugter Christina and Cameron were married in August.  All the family gathered in the Blaine Washington area for the big event.  So much fun, we are so proud of our kids and grandchildren.
• My mom fell and broke her other hip this time, her dementia is getting worse.  Dad being 91 and slowing down himself can no longer care for her so we spent about a month and a half getting Mom rehabed and finally into the Pioneer Home nursing facility in Anchorage.
• Our Daughter Shaunna and Matt, gave birth to our second Grandson: Wyatt.  He is healthy and doing well.  I feel he looks like Shaunna a lot as a baby.  We are so happy for them.
• Art Shows and Events have kept me out of the studio most of this fall.  But sales have been really good this year, so not complaining.  Opened up a print sales shop in Fine Art America's website.  Always trying to find a venue that provides good products of my work to the public and reasonable costs.
• Work has been busy at Medical Park Family Care, wow I have over 30 years in there now.
• Justin and Felecia spent some extra time with us here in May after the rest of the family left.  Allowed us time to get to know Felecia well, great visit.  So happy for Justin and her.
• Sold 7 paintings in December to end the year. Now that was the way to close out the year in the Art World for me.  The painting shown sold it is a 20"x30" Oil on canvas, went to some very wonderful friends.  I am proud it hangs in their home.
• Donna set up her Etsy shop to sell her products and patterns.  My Daughter Christina also set up a Etsy shop and has been selling well.

Okay so now whats in store for us in 2012?

Not to sure, we have no real plans this year as to events and trips etc.  I will be taking a couple of art workshops this summer.

Donna will be teaching LOCKERHOOKING & CROCHET CLASSES at JoAnn Fabrics in South Anchorage this year.  She has been working hard designing her classes and making samples for the students to observe and follow.  She is a excellent teacher and goes out of her way to make sure the students are able to learn no matter their skill levels.

My goal this year is to help get Dad and Mom settled more.  My brother Chris and I will try and make sure we have taken care of all the finacial stuff.  It is hard realizing they are at the twight of their lives.  But they have been incredibly healthy and happy, so they have had a great lives together.  Can only hope for the same for us.

Take a look around you, see what you have and how special it is.  Family, friends that's what makes you who you are.  Take the time to tell them all how much they mean to you.

Life is short, Enjoy the time you have, never waste in anger or hate.  Those are days you can never recapture.

I wish you all the very best in 2012.  Thank you for taking the time to follow my blog and artwork over the years, it makes it all worth while for me to create pieces that will live beyond me.

PLEIN AIR ALASKA RETREAT 2012

http://www.pleinairalaska.com/

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

9" x 12" TOOLS OF THE TRADE - OIL ON PANEL

Our  Friday Painting Group decided to paint "Hats".  So I set up my Plein Air hat and my half box easel and arranged a still life.  Got it "blocked" in at our group and finished it off today.  Kind of a fun piece for me.  BTW I love my hat also.  A great gift from my daughter Christina, I use it all the time when I paint out doors.

Higbee 6" X 6" Fall Art Show

Accepted Into The Show - Moonlight Sail Oil On Panel

Thrilled to find out this little painting was accepted into the Higbee Fall 6 x 6 Art Show in California.   Now got to get it packaged up and ready to ship off to the show.  The last show, I had a piece in also, some incredible artwork done on this small format.  Was amazing to see the high quality of paintings.  I am honored to be in the show.

Giclee Canvas Prints Are Now Available On My Website

5" x 7" to 16" x 20" Giclee Prints Stretched And Ready For A Frame

I finally have my Giclee Print Page up and running on my website : www.kurtjacobson.com

I have an assortment of Prints available of my work in affordable sizes, some Limited Editions and some Open Editions.

I would love to have you explore the page and give me your thoughts and suggestions.

ARTS & CRAFT EMPORIUM ANNUAL SHOW

THE BIG SHOW IN ANCHORAGE OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON!!

This show is 300+ booths of Alaska Artisans Creations.   Great show, Great Holiday Gifts!

Once again I will have my booth #864 at the show.  Looking forward to this seasons show, I have:

New Giclee Prints of some of my best new Paintings

Various sizes for you budget 

Original New Paintings for you to purchase

Come support your Alaskan Artists. Stop buy ( Pun Intended ) and say "Hi"

 

Finished off the Demo Pieces

Two Demo Pieces I started at Blaine's Art Supply Product Demonstration Weekend 

Last weekend I was painting live all weekend at Blaine's demoing Graham Oil Paints.  I worked both of these paintings close to completion.  I went back to the top painting yesterday and made a few adjustments.  Today I worked on the lower painting and brought in the shadows on the water and near marsh grasses.  The are available on my website: www.kurtjacobson.com

Weekend at Blaine's ( Art Store that is )

I got to demo Graham Oil Paints and Connesiour Brushes Friday through Sunday at Blaine's Art Store in Anchorage Alaska this last weekend.  I had a blast, got to demonstrate painting techniques and talk with customers about paints and painting.  My wife took a bunch of classes they were offering and we fully enjoyed ourselves.
One of the classes was using spray paint...my buddy artist Don Kolstad was willing to let them paint his truck.  We joked about it all night.  But it turned out totally awesome.  See the pictures below.

Valley Farm

Valley Farm 14x11 Oil on RayMar Panel - 

Earlier in the summer fellow artist Don Kolstad and I took a drive from Anchorage out to the Palmer area.  In the Mat-Su valley we have quite a few farms.  Don and I found a spot between two farms and set up our painting gear we both did between 4 to 5 paintings that day.  We brought our lunches and spent the day enjoying the weather and plein air painting.

This painting comes from that adventure.  I had done a smaller plein air piece with out the horses.  I decided to do a larger painting and add the horses to the painting.  Took lots of photos that day so had the plein air piece and reference photos to create this painting.  It is for sale and available on my website: www.kurtjacobson.com

Underpaintings: Symbols: The Thyrsus

Underpaintings: Symbols: The Thyrsus: The Honourable John Maler Collier The Priestess of Bacchus oil on canvas 58 X 44¼ in. Common to many Classicist paintings of...

Very Interesting and enlightening post.

Watering The Flowers

Watering The Flowers - 9x12 Oil on Panel- Earlier this summer a friend hosted the Alaska Plein Air Painters for a paint out and picnic lunch at her home and garden.  Did a little 6x6 painting of one of her statues and also took a photo of this statue that was in a different section of her gardens.   This weekend I ran across the photo and decided to use the fairy statue, but move it to the woods, change the lighting and make it a fantasy/mystery piece.  Lots of fun.

Internet copyright violations

http://alaskalockerhooking.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/copyrights/

Sad but this not only happend to my wife.  But in the past I found my fantasy pen and ink drawings used many different websites, used in online stories with out my permission and even credited to other artists!

Bike Path At Pt. Worznoff

Epxanded a Plein Air Color Study

BIKE PATH AT POINT WORZNOFF - 8" X 16" Oil on RayMar Panel

Earlier this summer I painted with the Alaska Plein Air Painters on a Friday morning at Point Worznoff Park.  It is situated at the end of one Anchorage International Airports Runways, looking out over Cook Inlet.  In the past I have painted Mt Susitna from the park the view is breathtaking.  On this day though the shadows and dappled light coming through the trees and brush caught my eye.  I love the different patterns created.  The focal point is the Lighted area around the sign in the distance.  The foreground is subdued and works as a good counter point to the highlighted area.  My Plein Air color sketch was very rough, but captured the essence of the scene.  I new that I would eventually expand on the piece and create a more complete painting.  Keeping the foreground edges soft and counter point it with hard edges in the distance pulls the eye to the focal point.  Lots of fun painting the different sections of this painting.

Web Article by Plein Air Magazine

http://www.outdoorpainter.com/news/painting-parks-in-alaska.html

Need to "Ground Myself"

I find myself in need of "time away" from the busy world for awhile.  I use to call it my tine to get lost in the woods for a while.   This has been an incredibly busy summer for my wife and I.   I find I have misplaced my inner self.    A good example is I have not been posting here on my blog hardly at all.  Just kind of caught up in the whirlwind of our life.   We have had family reunions, graduations, art shows, a daughter getting married and a weekend out in the woods at Denali State Park with the first State sponsored Art in Alaska's State Parks.  Not to mention some unexpected home repairs.   So what I am saying I need to get my "Muse" back.  So one area I can walk away from is the internet for a week or more.  I will be checking email for the correspondence that I will be needing to reply to, but everything else is going to the wayside.  I treasure all of you, but I need to rediscover "my fire, my muse" right now.   See you all soon.  Off to the studio for a 3 day painting therapy session.

Chest Creek Painting

Chester Creek 16"x20" Oil on Panel - I started this piece in the studio from a picture I took earlier this summer when we were painting at Chester Creek.  I took it to the Plein Air Weekend Art show last weekend, work live on it there.  Finished it today. 

2011 Plein Air Weekend

Video and article on the Plein Air Weekend in Anchorage Alaska

Above link will take you to the Article and TV Broadcast on Channel 11 KTVA in Anchorage Alaska of our Plein Air Weekend Art Show and Find Raiser for Clare House.

Underpaintings: Slow Art

Underpaintings: Slow Art: "Sadie Valeri - Undersea - 15¾ X 20 in., oil on panel Sadie Valeri, who considers herself a slow painter, attains a high level of ..."

First Saturday Art Walk in Hope Alaska

June First Saturday Art Walk In Hope Alaska - We had a blast enjoying the fun and painting at the event.  Hope you can make the next 2 First Saturday Art Walks it is well worth it.  What fun.

Peaches - My Daughter's newest painting

PEACHES - BY CHRISTINA JACOBSON
This is my daughter's newest painting ( not sure why it load sideways sorry ).  She is becoming a incredible painter, her talent is amazing.

Sherritt Fine arts Gallery - Hope Alaska

 

SHERRIT FINE ARTS GALLERY & GIFTS

Saturday Donna and I drove to Hope Alaska, a charming little community hidden away on the south side of Turnigan Arm.  A historical site in Alaska you need to visit and see.  I took some paintings to Scott Sherritt's Gallery.  A wonderful little gallery with some incredible artwork from well known artists.  Going to Hope you need to stop in and visit his gallery, definately worth taking time to see.  Scott and Fayrene are wonderful folks who will make you right at home.   Have Halibut and Chips at the Seaview Cafe, a charming old Alaskan Cafe with YUMMY food.

This summer Hope is hosting FIRST SATURDAY SUMMER FUN IN HOPE.  June 4th, July 2nd and August 6th.  I am planning on being there for June and July and painting and enjoying the fun. It's a gathering of Alaskan Artists, artwork on location, and authors who will autograph their book for you.  Discover one-of -a-kind arts and crafts on the lawn at the library.  Visit Hope's charming historic district.  Hosted by the Hope community Library & Scott Sherritt Fine Arts Gallery.

Plein Air Painting on Friday - Hot and Fun -- Facebook pages of interest

Plein Air Painters of Alaska - painted at Chester Creek on Friday morning

We painted at Chester Creek off Lake Otis Parkway in the morning.  Awesome weather sunny and hot.  What fun my artist buddies and painting in the sun.  The painting was actually dry to touch in about a hour after I stopped working on it.  The Plein Air Painters of Alaska is a open group to anyone who wants to come, check out our Facebook Page.

I then went and had lunch at Bennys Food Wagon, one of my favorite food hangouts.  I have been eating there for over 40 years ( dating myself ).  It happens to be right across the street from Blaines Art Supply (another fav hangout spot).  So after eating I went across the street and set up on Blaine's patio and did a quick plein air painting of Bennys Food Wagon.

Some Facebook pages you may be interested in:
 -- Plein Air Painters of Alaska
-- Alaska Artists Guild
-- A painting a day
-- Kurt Jacobson Fine Art
-- Alaska Locker Hooking
-- The Brushketeers
-- The Painted Ladies
-- Blaines Art Supply
-- Oil Painters of America

Perfect Shadow

Perfect Shadow

Lower Summit Lake Stage 5

Stage 5 Lower Summit Lake 18 x 36 oil on canvas - 

Completed the background mid hills with all the fall colors today.  Great fun lots of small strokes of broken color to let the eye blend together and tell the story.  Next will be the midground trees in the back(dark color for the moment) then work my way forward.  Had a great weekend painting really enjoyed myself and the painting process.
 

Weekend of Painting

Weekend Of Painting

Friday I painted with our Plein Air group at Campbell Creek in Anchorage, had a great time.  Then out to lunch with them, good food, great friends.  Went home picked up my wife and we drove out to Palmer Alaska to pick up 3 paintings I had in a show out there.  Also stopped and saw "The Painted Ladies" paint out set up at the Palmer Museum.  They had a large tent selling their artwork and were painting outside also.   Again a wonderful group of artists and friends.

Donna and I went out to dinner on the way home.  All around a wonderful day.

Yesterday I spent the whole day in the studio painting away.  Finished off the painting of one of our cats Maple looking out the window.  Titled: WAITING FOR SPRING.  Sometimes we forget that it is not just us humans that look forward to the snow leaving and spring coming, leaves on the trees etc., but out pets also wait with anticipation.

I also pulled out the 20x30 painting of Lower Summit Lake I had started before all our guests arrived earlier this month and got back to painting on it.  Reworked the sky and then put in the distant mountains, then had fun smearing paint and just laying in some block underpainting colors of the midground area.  Will head out to the studio today again and work on the midground more today.

Spring Has Sprung

SPRING HAS SPRUNG IN ALASKA

In the first week of May there were a few big events for our family.  In the last week of April Justin and Felicia flew up from Washington, Shaunna, Matt and our Grandson Joseph flew in from Colorado.   A family reunion for us all in Anchorage Alaska.  The weather was sunny and warm for this time of the year.  Still in the “brown” stage then, no leaves or grass yet.   Now 2 weeks later everything is popping out green now, and all the snow is gone.   We even had a Black Bear come up on our porch 2 nights ago and look in our door window.  Had to shoo him away, he was looking for food.  This is a yearly problem we have with living on the hillside in Anchorage, is bears and moose in our property.

Also on the May 1^st Ryan our youngest son graduated from UAA with a degree in Computer Science.  So we all went to his Graduation and had a party at Gallos Mexican Restaurant afterwards, family and friends.  Was a great time and the weather was sunny.

The next day was our Grandson’s First Birthday!  Joseph turned 1, how cool we got to have him here in Alaska for his Birthday.   We all went out to the Zoo in the morning then met at our house for a Birthday Party!   Joseph loved his Birthday Cake, once he found out the frosting tasted good, he dug in.  Was a blast.  Lots of pictures and presents.

The day after Joseph’s Birthday was my Mom ( Ruth Jacobson ) 86^th Birthday.   The whole family met at my folks place and went to the dining room for a Lunch to celebrate.

Then came Mother’s Day, a brunch at the folks again, Justin and Felicia were here still, my brother came, and Ryan also, so all the family was there to celebrate Mothers Day with Mom.

Now the family has all left and Donna and I are adjusting our life to back to our normal schedule.  We loved having everyone visit and miss them all very much.  At the same time we are so proud of how they all have created their own lives and careers and now have their own families.  They all more importantly are “Good People” can’t express how happy I am for that.  Now that they are home, Donna and I are back to our passions, Painting for me, Crafts for her.   Sure missed painting while family was in town, but it was worth it to have them all visit.

Next reunion will be in August for our daughter Christina’s wedding in Washington.  A busy family summer this year for us.

This weekend my brother Chris and I will go to the Kenai River and open up Dad’s Cabin for him.  The Salmon are starting their yearly runs, and we will be fishing soon.