Artist Statement
"As a contemporary, realist painter, my art is centered on the human experience as expressed through the physical form. I love painting figures captured in the momentary quality of arrested actions while uncovering attitudes and revealing inherent strengths and weakness that arise in daily living. As opposed to perfection, the idea of vulnerability tempered with hope and promise is more appealing to me.

The larger-than-life scale of the bulk of my work helps to move the everyday into monumental symbols of life; an enormous empty child's highchair tray can equate to lifelong opportunities while giant hands become less vulnerable, suggesting a sense of power, referencing choices – a reoccurring theme within my work. The monumental size along with a special sense of natural light and shadows, all exaggerate these aspects, conveying a strong physical presence and encouraging a relationship between the viewer and the painting. Yet, there are times when a painting cries to be little, intimate, precious. It's then that I bring out my 00 paint brushes and scoot in to respond to the emotion of the piece. I enjoy both of these antithetical processes and their similar results.

My greatest inspirations come from the old masters like Rembrandt and Valazquez. But, probably more evident are the influences of Pop artist Andy Warhol, the monumental works of portraitist Chuck Close and the techniques of contemporary figurative artists, Lucien Freud and Odd Nurdrum. I employ both brushes and palette knives in the application of paint, allowing me to move from a spontaneous reactive gesture to a more controlled expression of details while layering up paint and glazes.

I'm passionate about being an artist and portraying life on canvas. I hope that my work inspires self recognition within its viewers."

Regina Jacobson
Artist Statement

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