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R.P.Jensen, American, Artist, b. 1954 Educated Univeristy of Oklahoma, BFA, 1976. Voted Best Artist by readers of Albuquerque the Magazine, 2010 www.hiramditty.com

R.P. began his art career painting wildlife scenes and selling them at the APCO gasoline station where he worked during high school. R.P. decided to major in art while attending Cameron College on a football scholarship. The Cameron art department, headed at the time by Jack Bryan, was housed in cool WPA cast concrete barns. While at Cameron, R.P. was introduced to printmaking by Dwight Pogue, now at Smith College. R.P. was a recipient of the McMahon Foundation art scholarship in 1973. He went on to receive his BFA from the U

niversity of Oklahoma. While there, he studied printmaking under the late Dan Kaicz. During that era, the O.U. School of Art was known for its avant-garde western art.

Upon graduation in 1976, he worked as a cabinet maker. He returned to school in 1982 and received a MBA in marketing from Oklahoma City University. Following a stint as a marketing manager for a Fortune 500 company, he returned to small business and relocated to New Mexico. After several years absence from art, he bought his daughter an artist easel and paint set. It languished for a few months when he picked it up and painted a portrait of the family's two dogs. Unaware of her husbands talent, upon completion his wife exclaimed, 'It looks like them.' 'What did you expect?', was his reply. For the past several years, R.P. has participated in the Corrales Artists Studio Tour. His work is shown at the Standard Diner in downtown Albuquerque. Matt DiGregory, the owner has been very supportive of R. P. and his work. R.P.'s work has been exhibited at the Philbrooke Art Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, The Oklahoma Art Center and he has work in the State of Oklahoma permanent collection. Recent paintings are in private collections from Boston to San Francisco. His work is shown at the Range Cafe in Bernalillo, New Mexico and Casa Vieja in Corrales, New Mexico. Unfortunately, Casa Vieja is closed due to structural issues. Stay tuned for their new location. His current work has focused on iconic western images; commercial brand images from the forties and fifties and Native American portraits. R.P. works primarily in acrylic on canvas. Much of his work has involved depression era cowboy icons.

"In school, I was heavily influenced by the POP art movement. I like the juxtaposition of images to make a statement or tell a story.  One of his earliest series involved a variation on the theme of Geronimo's Cadillac.  It featured lesser know Indian Chiefs, classic automobiles and long lost oil company signs and told the story of reservation land oil royalties being stolen from Indian Chiefs who had no concept of what a royalty check was.   While doing research for that series, I discovered a web site that featured hundreds of turn of the century photos of Northern Indian Tribe Chiefs.  I was taken by their brave, noble, defiant yet melancholy expressions.  Their eyes told their story." The use of commercial advertising images is a carry over from his marketing days.

"In addition to POP art, I also enjoyed the puns and humor of the DADA movement so I am always looking for that humorist twist to my work."

"I always loved abstract expressionism but could never paint in that style. I equate it to jazz.  Making music with just the notes.  I love good Texas songwriting, so I like a lyrical style, a painting, print or drawing that tells a story or invokes an emotion.  I try to leave the interpretation to the viewer.  Let the art speak to the viewer.  One of the first albums I bought that blew me away was Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding, and those obtuse lyrics have always been a huge influence and are always in the back of my mind when I paint." R. P. also does portraits of horses and children. R. P. resides in Corrales with his lovely wife Patricia, their two children, Isabel and Tinsaye. They also have six horses, two dogs, two cats and five hens.

2010 was a good year for R.P. as he was selected Liquitex Artist Materials featured artist of the week August 2, and voted Best Artist by the readers of Albuquerque the Magazine that fall.