Shifting Gears

Summer is now half over more or less, our long daylight hours here in Alaska have started their shift to heading the other way. Still light till after 11pm though, got to love it.  Has been a busy hectic summer with all the different Art events I have been involved with.  Summary: getting a Gallery renovated and opened with a group of fantastic Artists, we all worked so hard on that; 2 First Friday shows, 2 Art In Alaska Parks with the State of Alaska's Dept of Natural Resources, a workshop with Michelle Usibelli and a 5 day Great Alaska Plein Air Retreat put on by the Painted Ladies of Alaska.  Well only 2 events left in my art event calendar for the summer:
1. Sixth Annual Plein Air Weekend July 28th & 29th - Put on by the Plein Air Painters of Alaska
2. Art For Alaska Parks Art Competition - Sept 7th - A Alaska Artist Guild Event

August I am reserving for Home Repairs and I have a bunch of them to get done.  Our old home has reached a stage in its life where it needs some series repair and renovation.  Winter is coming so have to get some things done before the snow flies.  Also want to spend some time with my lovely wife, just us time, she has been so supportive of my artistic life and has put up with all the events without complaining.  I love my wife dearly, she is fantastic.

Artistic Goals

MATANUSKA GLACIER PLEIN AIR PAINTING - 6"X12" OIL ON PANEL available on my website: http://www.kurtjacobson.com/

As I am aging (approaching the big 60 soon).  I find my goals and desires as an Artist and painter are changing.  When I first started out my goals besides to constantly improve as a artist and painter (that goal will never change), was to someday earn enough money so that when I ever retired from my "real" job, I could survive on my earnings from my art sales.   Well that is less and less important to me now.  To actually accomplish that goal I would constantly have to paint "what sells" in other words what I know the buying public would expect from me, to stay in "format" of my prior successes.  I can always paint Mt McKinley here in Alaska and it will sell ( I do a good job of it also ).  But that is not what I find myself really wanting to do now.  Instead I want to paint "Good Paintings" creations that push my abilities and force me to grow and improve as an Artist.  Besides landscapes, I want to paint figures, portraits, still lives and paintings that have "meaning" to me the artist.  Is this selfish, I don't know, just know that more and more it is becoming more important to me.

Artistically great paintings are not always the ones that appeal to the general public per sae.  Colorful, sometimes "Cutsey" cottages, cabins, animals etc. appeal to the public more then high quality art.  I guess maybe I am feeling the "time crunch" of only so many years of painting left in my life.  Although I am in good health and happy in my life.  I want to leave the world "high art" when I finally pass onto the after life and paint along with Sorrola, Frederick Church, and Edgar Payne.  Me and all the masters in heaven painting away, not a bad afterlife I think.  I am in no hurry though....lots more for me to accomplish yet in life.

"The conveying of lofty feelings and high ideals is art's greatest gift. To avoid these is to omit the spirit in the work and put the art at peril of mediocrity" - Robert Henri

" We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." - Max DePree

OUR GRAND OPENING - JULY 6TH - DOOR PRIZES & DEMOS

EVERYONE IS INVITED - 423 5TH AVE, ANCHORAGE ALASKA 5-9PM

“Plein Air Weekend”

5801 Barry Ave., Anchorage, AK 99507 (907-333-0793)

E. on Abbott Rd. Right turn on Birch, 1^st left Barry Ave.

Saturday, July 28, 2012: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 29, 2012: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Artists painting on location, Art for Sale,

Prizes and Games!!!  Free Fun for All Ages!!!

Prizes donated by artists and Blaine's Art Supply.

A Portion of the Proceeds

To Benefit Clare House.

Artists Include:

Betty Atkinson, James Belcher, Diane Block,

Lynn Brautigam Boots, Becky Crawford,

Nancy Angelini Crawford, Romie Deschamps, Louann Feldman,

Christine Fortner, Libby Hattan, Kurt Jacobson,

Talya Johnson, Don Kolstad, Cynthia Calder Kolstad,

Mark McDermott, Pat Munz, Earl Rider,

Dot Tideman, Karen Whitworth, Jeanne Young,

Chris Zafron, Vladimir Zhikhartsev,

and special guest artists.

Cover: (Clockwise from upper left) Artist Lynn Brautigam Boots,

Artist Earl Rider, Liu-Hsiu Kuo playing harp, and

Painting of the New Clare House by Patricia Gillin.

FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT JUNE 1ST - ARCTIC ROSE GALLERY & ART CENTER - 423 5TH AVE, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Our First Friday tonight in our new Gallery on 5th Ave, the display is awesome, hope you all can come down and check out the artwork.  We are featuring all the artists in the gallery to open our new space this month.  A lot of hard work and creativity has gone into building this Gallery and looking forward to the future it holds for Anchorage as a Art Center,

5PM - 9PM tonight stop in and enjoy the artwork and our hospitality.

Doors Opening Today - 423 5th Ave, Anchorage Alaska

We open our doors in the new gallery today for the first time.  So exciting and nervous, this has been a wonderful experience getting the gallery ready, 10 Director Members have worked so very hard and it has been a great collective effort and creative adventure. 

Artists: Jon & Jona Van Zyle, Jana Latham, Teresa Ascone, Kurt & Donna Jacobson, Cari Zowodny, Chip Brock, Tami Phelp, Karen Mattson, Karen Whitworth, Gail Flotre and Jenny Ditto. What a collection of creative wonderful people.

Come down and see our new Gallery.

Tis the Season

Tis The Season To Change

It has been a long and record winter in Anchorage Alaska this year.  We set a new Snowfall record.  Lots and lots and lots etc of snow this year.  Me and my snowblower became quite the team this year.  But "Tis The Season" for breakup and melting.  Going to be a messy wet, muddy meltdown this year.  And my wife and I can't wait for the snow to go.  We may end up having it hang around for a major part of the summer who knows.  The snow piles off our deck were 7 feet high and 5 feet thick.

After painting indoors for the last 6 months, myself and my plein air artist buddies have been itching to get outdoors and paint.  So Friday morning we all went to Chester Creek and painted in the sun.  AAHH it felt so good to be back outdoors painting.  Talk about everyone being in a good mood.  None of us much cared for whether we were painting good paintings, we just wanted to be outside painting and we loved it.  Made me realize just how much I truly love Plein Air Painting, its the experience and the beauty of nature, getting to see it and realize all the colors and interplay of life that you can't get from a photo.  Thank you Lord for a great day and the chance to see your creations outdoors once again,

Sneak Peak

http://www.stephanfinearts.com/searchresult.aspx?CategoryID=55

A sneak peak at a few of the 24 Paintings in my April First Friday Art Show this Friday at Stephan Fine Art Gallery.

All paintings were created using a very limited palette of colors.  Come see what I was able to create with just a limited palette, you will be surprised at the range I was able to do with the colors.

FIRST FRIDAY APRIL 6TH, 2012 - STEPHAN FINE ART GALLERY -ANCHORAGE ALASKA

APRIL TO APRIL A YEAR EXPLORING A LIMITED PALETTE OF COLORS.

This last year has changed how I paint and how my paintings look.  I was introduced to this limited color palette by artist Larry Sieler last year. Using the base colors in this palette and a occasional additition of one or two colors I found a greater harmony in my paintings and also developed an ability to mix any color I need.  Also I developed a softer touch with my paintings also.  Hope you will come and see the 24 paintings I have in my show.

Four New Paintings

Warm Winter Light - 6"x6" Oil on Richeson Panel

Painted this little painting on Friday, with the Alaska Plein Air Painters.  No we were indoors not outdoors.  Projected a image onto a screen and we all painted our versions of the picture.  I decided to add more warmth to the painting then was on the photo.

Churning Seas - 6"x8" Oil on RayMar Panel

I painted this last week, it was a fun piece, just started pushing paint around to see what appeared.  Lots of paint on this one.  Since this photo I did go back and readjust the foam/spray.  Always fun to play.

Watching The Smoke - 8"x16" Oil on RayMar Panel


Whipped this out his week, did a sketch on Sunday and blocked it in and then finished over the week.  This is a compositional study for a much larger version that I will also turn into a nocturnal painting.

Lemon Tree & Red Flower - 6"x6" Oil on Richeson Panel


I painted this with the Alaska Plein Air Painters about a month ago at the Anchorage Municipal Green House in Russian Jack Park.  Was fun to play with the abstract background.

 

Art For Alaska Parks 2012 Competition

ART FOR ALASKA PARKS 2012 CALL FOR ENTRY - OUR 7TH ANNUAL COMPETITION TOP30 SHOW

Once again it is time for Artists to get ready to create their masterpieces for this years competition.

A $1000.00 Grand Prize, and 6 Award Categories this year.  We have a new group of sponsors for the new Refuge and Critical Habitat Category this year.

More complete information and entry form can be found on our website: www.artforalaskaparks.com

This advent is a Alaska Artist Guild event.  Alaska Artist Guild is a Non-Profit Group dedicated to the Artist and promoting Art in general.



The Raven Called My Name

THE RAVEN CALLED MY NAME - 9"x6" OIL ON RICHESON PANEL

This little painting came into being last Friday.  In our Friday morning painting group the group decided to paint Ravens.  Ravens are very abundant here in Alaska, and there are some amazing Raven Legends in the Native Cultures.  Ravens are incrediably smart and great survivers.  I have a high respect for them.  This painting more or less painted itself, one of those that just seemed to come alive on it's own.  I am pleased how this one turned out.  Nancy Brandt-Ericson gave it the perfect title.

This painting will be available for sale at Stephan Fine Art Gallery in the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage Alaska.

Our Love Story

http://alaskalockerhooking.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/second-chance-at-love/

My wifes story tells our love story.  We celebrated Valentines Day going out to dinner and enjoying each others company.  We truly love being around each other.  I am one lucky man.

KAKM ART AUCTION SHOWCASE - PUBLIC TV

MARSH FLOWER - 11"X14" ACRYLIC PAINTING

On February 16-18 KAKM channel 7 is having their annual Art Showcase Auction to raise money fot Public Broadcasting.  Three nights of generously donated art creations by artists with the soul purpose of keeping Public Broadcasting on air.  Our love for public television is what drives this event.  We donate all our creations so that money earned goes directly to our local station.  I urge you all to watch and bid on these artworks made with love and labor by the artists, you will not only be getting works at great prices you will be supporting your Public Broadcasting Station.

I have 2 pieces in this years Auction, on Friday night I will be a on air color commentator, and my Giclee Print (framed) AUTUMN KNIK RIVER will be up for bidding.  On Saturday my original painting MARSH FLOWER will be up for bid.

Join me in the event and support of KAKM CHANNEL 7.

BTW:  Marsh Flower made the cover of this years Catalog!



TIDINESS

In the current Art Of The West magazine there is a article on Artist Greg Beecham, great article and he is a amazingly talented artist.  But there is a picture of a note pinned on his studio wall that just cracked me up.  I think it more or less is applicable to most artists, at least to my wife and I.

The note says:

" Tidiness is the artform for the non-creative"

So yes I made myself the same note and it now is pinned to my wall!

Plein Air Online Art Salon - November/December Competition

GRAZING - 16x12 OIL PAINTING - ON RAYMAR PANEL

This painting was accepted into the 1st Annual Plein Air Online Art Salon - November/ December 2011 Competition.

I am honored to have one of my paintings in the Competition.  I have no illusions as to it winning any award, but to be included in a international show is "awesome". 

Grazing is for sale on my website also.  Just click the "Grazing" link above to go to my website.

2 Small Paintings - using the same pallet of colors

Using the same Pallet of Colors from One painting to the Other

I started with the lower painting  6x8 Oil "Homage to the Sunset" first.  This painting is actually a reworking of a painting I did at a plein air outing I did with the Alaska Plein Air Painters last summer.  That painting was a very loose exploration into a tonalist style.  I liked what I had, but knew it needed refining,  So on a whim I decided the other day to redo it and make the refining it needed.  Also decided to add the 2 Swans.  I am very pleased how this turned out.

The upper painting came from a pencil sketch I had done a number of years ago.  I had a lot of paint still on my pallet left over from the other painting, so using the same paints I created this piece a 6x9 oil "One Last Cast".  A note of interest is that originally the pencil sketch was the mirror image of the painting, thought it would read better to the eye going left to right, so with my photo editing software I scanned my sketch and created a mirror image to work off of.  Both painting will be on my website for purchase next week.

www.kurtjacobson.com



Sketching out two compositions.

ROUGHING OUT THE DESIGNS FOR TWO PAINTINGS



Scrapped my nymph painting I had started, just was not working out so started over.  I kept the figure pose, but moved it to another area, and redrew a better composition.  Have a much better idea where I am going on it now.  It is a 22X28 canvas

Also sketched out another omposition on linen it is 24X18.  From a picture I took last August at Byers Lake Campground.  Depicts Kay Goodrich sitting at her table creating a pastel painting of the lake.