“It is done with love and helps me express me inner thoughts and deepest feelings. It is always a challenge to try new mediums. I sincerely hope that you enjoy my art work”
1919-2014′
REFLECTIONS
NOTES FROM THE ARTIST
Since all of my work is original, I am often asked where I get my ideas for painting and sculpture. In all honesty, I have to reply that I practically “give birth” to most of my creations. Usually, in the quiet of the night, I get a germ of an idea and keep working it out in my mind: transfer it to paper; and keep working until it reaches fruition.
My early paintings were executed with palette knife. They had lots of color, details and texture. It seems that abstracting or trying to get the essence of the subject has always been important to me. Aside from a few purely abstract paintings, my work is based in reality and subjects are recognizable. I concentrated more on the abstract qualities of my work rather than illustrational. It is really a marriage of the two. Oddly enough, from the highly textured early work, I have evolved a style that is in direct opposition. It is smooth, softly shaded, sensual and with fluid lines which create a quiet motion.
At the same time, I lessened the multi-image details seen in my earlier work and concentrated on simpler forms, shapes, and the use of tighter pallet of color. I enjoy and revel in this looser manner and style which runs parallel to the style of my sculptures. In sculpture, although many of them are based on realism, I love to concentrate on pure shapes and forms in juxtaposition with each other. Sculpture is a later addition to my work and comes to me more easily than painting.
Claire
Claire was born on February 25 1919, in the Lower East Side of New York City. Her father, Dr. Louis Marcus Friedman, was a family Physician, with his own practice. Claire’s mother, Esther Malka Friedman ran that practice for over 30 years. She had 2 siblings, a younger brother and an older sister, as most middle children, she lacked attention and found it difficult to express herself. At the age of 15 she started to paint. She painted as a form of expression, and express she did. At age 19 she attended Pratt University in NYC receiving her BA in the Arts. In 1943 she married Captain (Dr.) David Jacobson and had her first child Beth. They were living in Phoenixville Pennsylvania while Captain (Dr.) David was still in active duty. Two years later she had her second child Leah, months later Captain David was re-stationed. So the family of four moved, to Okinawa Island Japan. Life in Japan was invigorating for Claire. She immersed herself in the culture, finding inspiration in everything new and foreign to her. From Kabuki street art, to the streets themselves, the place was busting to the seams with profound insights into another world and a new dimension of art. After a blissful 3 years spent reinventing her style, her direction and herself. After fulfilling his term of duty, Captain (Dr.) David enlisted in the Reserves and continued his private practice. The family moved back to the states and settled down in a quaint suburb of queens NY. Upon arriving in NYC, Claire’s thirst for knowledge and passion for the arts, drew her to immediately sign up for night classes. She eventually ended up full time at Hofstra University, where she went on to earn her Masters. Following her college years, Claire led a life of a true artist. Claire put her heart and soul into every piece. Throughout her life Claire has lectured, taught and exhibited worldwide. But at heart she was simply an artist, with an unquenchable thirst to create beauty from nothing. Claire lives on in every piece she created and in every home, museum or gallery that hosts them. She inspires artists and woman alike every day and through that her spirit lives on. Please feel free to browse her gallery and enjoy some of the most magnificent artwork from this century.
‘The Claire Jacobson Art Foundation’