Benicia Tranquility: A February Day Painting

Jacob La Cour is an artist based in the United States whose paintings have been featured in solo and group exhibitions nationally. He describes his works as often representing a state of mind, often conveying his life experiences. In addition, La Cour's artistic practice is inspired by the impressionists and Dutch masters. He most often creates with oils on canvas. ---------------------------- Born and raised in Wyoming, I spent a lot of time indoors throughout a majority of the year due to the extensive winters. I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. My textbooks were typically littered with drawings in the margins and onto the copy of the book. In high school I was introduced to oil painting and was immediately attracted to the added depth that it allowed in contrast to my pencil drawings. I was taught some basic techniques from the Impressionist methods. I pursued this passion in college and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Art from Black Hills State University in 2014 at the age of 24. Upon graduation I moved to the Bay Area and continue to develop my work with my favorite mediums, oil and charcoal. My methods still have roots in the Impressionist style, but are also influenced by the Dutch Masters. My subject matters ranges from that of something with purely interesting or beautiful aesthetic, to working out an complex idea with which imagery communicates the composition better. My work tends to reflect my current life and ideas. I currently paint or draw with every free second that I have outside of my day job (California is an expensive place to live). My main goal is to continue to sharpen my skills and eventually use my passion as a means of income. Everyday I’m taking a step closer towards this inevitable goal and improving my knowledge and abilities with experiments and continuous projects.