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.