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Biography:
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I have visited these equine giants many times, but on this day they were graced with an extra small passenger. This sparrow seemed delighted to enjoy its perch, for warmth or for secret we can only wonder.
Jack Koonce received a BFA from Weber State University in Utah, then taught art and biology at the high school and college level prior to embarking upon a fulltime career as an artist. He is currently a signature member of the“ Society of Animal Artists”, New York, NY, and the “Worldwide Nature Artists Group” and is a member of “Oil Painters of America”, Chicago, Ill. His work has been shown in dozens of museums nationwide, and is exhibited at numerous galleries. He has received several awards including the Sam Houston Migratory bird award in the Art for the Parks exhibition, and a purchase award at “Art and the Animal Kingdom”, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT. Living today on the Eastern edge of Idaho’s Smoky Mountains near Sun Valley, Koonce finds spiritual and artistic inspiration in his rugged backyard. “My approach is conceptual in its construction, always ending as a compilation of current discoveries and past experiences.” That approach to life, and now his life’s work, has left him regretless.
Raised in the sagebrush hills and mountain peaks of central Idaho, Jack spent a childhood rambling through the wilderness that was his backyard. Fishing, hunting, hiking, skiing and sketching all combined to forge a deep bond with nature. His stunning canvases are evidence of that profound connection. Jack’s work is alive with memory and insight, informed by years of observation of the natural world. His early years were filled with trips to the backcountry in summer and the famous ski slopes of his home near Sun Valley, in winter. Countless hours spent in the practice of ski racing did much to forge Koonce’s character and painting style. In his work, he clearly draws upon the self–reliance, perseverance and awe, which the mountains demand of all those who travel them. For him skiing was about the mastery of craft as a way to discover beauty... and avoid disaster. That same attention to mastery is his guide to finding truth in the expression of painting.
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