Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeanne Hansen.
Jeanne, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I come from a family of artists, my Aunt, Jeanne Kouwenaar, sculptor, whom I am named after, and my uncle, David Kouwenaar, abstract painter. So, I grew up admiring art.
Harold Petersen, a well-known watercolor and oil painter, was my Highland High School art teacher. He taught us about the New York City art scene: Warhol, Motherwell, and Rauschenberg. “Pete” also introduced us to the great graphic design magazine, CA, Communication Arts. Most of all, he believed in our artistic talent us and inspired us to “Dream Big”. White space was very important in contrast to color and meant light.
At the University of Utah, I learned about great typography from Ray Morales and about color and texture from Doug Snow, the wonderful oil painter. My intertest in watercolor developed from a class in sumi painting. Ed Maryon was the College Dean at the U of U College of Fine Arts and also an accomplished watercolorist. I attended many of his Monterey California workshops. Ed encouraged me to go to New York City after receiving my University of Utah Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design. I missed mixing color pigments and I started sketching again.
Editorial Design and illustration interested me, so I headed to the School of Visual Arts in New York City. There I studied with Milton Glaser, a renowned Graphic Designer. That is where my love of great design and art merged. Back in Salt Lake City, I partnered with the Collaborative: A multi-disciplinary firm of Architects, City Planners, Interior Designers, Landscape Architects, and Graphic Designers. This is where I invited Fay Ping Andrus to join my Graphic Design Team.
We later branched off to form Hansen Andrus Design. Fay and I worked on many design projects for the University of Utah, which included the SJ Quinney Law School, School of Architecture, the School of Medicine, and signage for the Red Butte Garden Visitor Center building. I have had many successful solo and group art shows in the RBG Visitor Center Gallery. The Anderson Foothill Library has given me two solo art shows. I have also been in group art shows at the Park City Library.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The challenges come with scheduling my art for various art shows. It keeps me very busy. If you have an art product question, Paul Rock and his staff at Blick Art Materials in Sugarhouse are very helpful. They are located below the Petersen Art Center. Some people order products online, but I find being able to see the colors and feel the texture of the paper or canvas is invaluable. Photos of the products don’t give you the full picture.
These practices have been helpful to me:
1. Don’t skimp on the paper or paint. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
2. Create an individual palette for each painting. I try to mix some of my paint ahead so that I can be more spontaneous in my brushwork.
3. Find a quiet place to work so you can focus.
4. Start with a larger canvas and crop in for the best design.
5. Get into a creative zone: Put on some instumental music you know so your mind can escape.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Learn from and talk with other artists in art organizations or art friends.
I am known for my landscapes of Northern and Southern Utah. My distinctive work is in many corporate, private. and
public art collections, including the Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake International Airport, and Zions Bank.
I love to paint our beautiful national and state parks in Utah, our ski resorts, and Great Salt Lake. Florals also interest me.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Strive for a strong design quality.
Keep a positive attitude. I have a deep love of nature and people.
When I want a luminous quality to the art, I paint in watercolors. Oils give me deeper color and texture.
“Painting has taught me an important lessons in life-to be flexible and go with the flow.”
Contact Info:
- Website: Jeannehansenart.com
- Instagram: @hansenartbydesign
Image Credits
Mitch Hughes and Jeanne Hansen
