Getting to Know Mark Anthony Jacobson
Shamanistic Artist of the Woodland Art Movement.
In case you’re not familiar with his work, Mark Anthony Jacobson is a master Woodland artist currently working and living in British Columbia. Born in Ontario of Ojibway and Swedish heritage, Jacobson was blessed with artistic talent at a very young age. Since the age of 13, he has produced thousands of paintings that tap into the universal aspects of spirit, touching on race, culture, religion and philosophy.
But Jacobson’s creativity is not confined to canvas—somehow, in the midst of all that painting, he's also found the time to reach out into communities. He's been the keynote speaker at a spiritual conference, participated in spiritual workshops, sponsored a Native American peyote ceremony and led an art project that brought together community members and youth and exposed them to traditional First Nations customs and culture.
Jacobson was also the last person to have a joint exhibition with the legendary aboriginal artist Norval Morrisseau, a member of the Order of Canada who was known as the “Picasso of the North.” Morrisseau founded the Woodland Style of painting, which revitalized traditional Ahnisnabae icons and inspired 3 generations of artists—Jacobson included.
The Woodland style is familiar to most people, even if you’ve never heard the name. It’s characterized by bright colours, bold lines and and a 2-dimensional design. But don’t be deceived by its visual simplicity—the subjects and themes explored in these paintings carry powerful meanings.
In October 2011, Jacobson became the first native artist in Canadian history to launch an authorized and official catalogue raisonne detailing hundreds of paintings, drawings, prints and other media dating all the way back to 1989. Take a peek at even one entry and you can imagine how long it must have taken him to compile all of this info. There are photos, dates of sales, locations, and special marks and inscriptions—a massive undertaking, especially considering there are still over 1000 pieces that need to be found and catalogued.
Why all the hard work? Well, a catalog raisonne is the go-to place for real, honest answers about individual art pieces and their authenticity. It preserves the artist’s legacy, and as Mark Anthony Jacobson said in his official blog, it sets the “record straight as to what makes a Jacobson, a Jacobson.”
