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,