James Torlakson

Last updated
James Torlakson
Born (1951-02-19) February 19, 1951 (age 73)
San Francisco, California, United States
Education California College of the Arts (BA), San Francisco State University (MFA)
Occupation(s)Visual artist, educator
Known forPrintmaking, painting
Relatives Tom Torlakson (brother)

James "Jim" Daniel Torlakson (born February 19, 1951), is an American visual artist and educator, known for his photorealist oil paintings, watercolors and aquatint intaglio prints. He is based in Pacifica, California, a costal city near San Francisco.

Contents

Early life and family

James Daniel Torlakson was born in San Francisco, California on February 19, 1951. His brother is American politician Tom Torlakson. [1] Growing up in the Westlake neighborhood of Daly City, Torlakson moved to Pacifica in 1971 where he has lived since becoming a professional artist. [2] He started drawing at an early age, encouraged by his parents, who entered a drawing of his in the San Francisco Chronicle "Daily Junior Art Champion" when he was six years old; he was awarded first prize. He was also inspired by artist George Post, a Californian watercolor painter, who was his grandparents' neighbor in Oakland, California.[ citation needed ]

Torlakson studied general fine arts and received a B.F.A. degree in 1971 from the California College of the Arts, [3] before completing a Masters of Arts degree in 1975 at San Francisco State University. [4]

His daughter Elizabeth died at age 21, after walking into a BART tunnel in 2004. [5] [6] [7]

Work

He was a professor of printmaking and visual art at City College of San Francisco, [5] from 1999 to 2017. Other teaching experience also includes California College of the Arts and Skyline College.[ citation needed ]

Torlakson’s photorealism imagery have centered on “every day” America, which includes images of trucks, railways, amusement parks, waterfronts, fireworks booths, deserted drive-in theaters and coastal landscapes. [2] His oils, watercolors, aquatint etchings and drawings have been exhibited nationally since 1971 within United States and internationally. [8]

He has works housed in the collections of many American museums, [1] including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, [9] [10] the Oakland Museum of California, [11] the Brooklyn Museum, [12] Rhode Island School of Design Museum; [13] New York Public Library’s print collection, [14] the Art Institute of Chicago, [15] Carnegie Museum of Art, the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Library of Congress, Denver Art Museum, and the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.[ citation needed ]

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References

  1. 1 2 "James Torlakson". AskArt.com. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  2. 1 2 Bartlett, Jean (2012-08-21). "Artist James Torlakson's journey through the play of light; exhibit at SFMOMA Artists Gallery". The Mercury News . Pacifica Tribune. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  3. ↑ "Glance Spring 2004". issuu. California College of the Arts. 2004. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  4. ↑ "Follow the Creative Sparks". SF State Magazine. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  5. 1 2 Hunter, Chris (2014-01-06). Legendary Locals of Pacifica. Arcadia Publishing. p. 37. ISBN   978-1-4671-0098-4 – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ Goodyear, Charlie (March 16, 2004). "California senator's niece found dead on BART tracks / Cause of death of Elizabeth Torlakson unknown". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  7. ↑ Torlakson, Tom (September 20, 2004). "Risk of harm should outweigh use". SFGate . Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  8. ↑ "Public Art Collection | flysfo.com". flysfo.com. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  9. ↑ "James Torlakson, William Farley". SFMoMA. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  10. ↑ "SFMOMA Artists Gallery - Work of James Torlakson and William Farley - YouTube". youtube.com. 29 September 2013. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  11. ↑ "2006.23.1 James Torlakson, Rogue Equipment Sales". Oakland Museum of California. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  12. ↑ "Bondage, James Torlakson". Brooklyn Museum . Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  13. ↑ "Asleep at the Wheel". RISD Museum. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  14. ↑ Smith, Donald E. (2004). American Printmakers of the Twentieth Century: A Bibliography. St. Johann Press. p. 328. ISBN   978-1-878282-28-6 – via Google Books.
  15. ↑ "James Daniel Torlakson". Art Institute of Chicago. 1951.
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