Jim Hancock

Artist & Designer

Born: Carrot River, Saskatchewan, Canada – January 1950

Present Residence: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada

Parents were both artistic (father a draftsman & carpenter, and mother a floral designer and painted most of her life)

My first serious foray into art was in my early teens using mother’s paints and canvas boards.  I painted my first 2 serious works and sold one to a friend of the family in 1965.  My first gallery sale was in 1968 at gallery 21 in Winnipeg.

My association with many artists in the late 60’s and early 70’s brought about a decision not to try and survive as an “artist”, so I got a “real” job as a draftsman (something that was always easy and came naturally)

I was now married with car and house payments, plus all the trappings of modern life which require lots of money, so the survival instinct took over and artistic energy was channeled into the well paid field of architecture.

In the mid-seventies (with money now in the bank) thoughts of becoming a real “artist” came back to the surface and an application to the University of Manitoba’s fine arts department was accepted....but the application was late in the year, and the acceptance was for the following year.  They say just being accepted is reward enough....thoughts of art school evaporated due to a new opportunity as an architectural designer with a Winnipeg design/build company.  Architecture—it was to be!

1978/1979- I started to concentrate more energy again on abstract painting, which was an art form that was unstructured with no rules, unlike the highly controlled and structured architectural design work.

A large series of colored ink paintings were produced which were received well and I also obtained my first large commercial commission for 8 paintings for an office building in Winnipeg.

As an architectural designer, my work carried over into interior design.  This allowed for more art works to be circulated as many clients purchased paintings for the walls of their new offices.

Design work started on the Westward Village sports/retail complex in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada.  A project that lasted (on & off) for more than 20 years as it expanded and evolved.

1980- Having moved to Portage La Prairie in 1979 to oversee the design of a mall/sportsplex project, affiliation was secured with local arts guild and local arts galleries, and 2 art shows were held in Portage this year.

1981- 2 more local art shows were held this year, as well as work accepted in the central region juried art show.  I started doing design work for a local fibre artist.  Final design drawings for the Westward Village Complex’s hotel section were underway.

1982- A change was required; the drawings for the hotel were finished, so an 8 month sabbatical in the southwestern United States took place resulting in the creation of over 100 paintings.  My exposure to the large and vibrant American art culture was energizing.  Contemporary and abstract art was everywhere!

The paintings have never been so prolific or more creative than during this short time.

I returned to portage just in time to design a new hotel dining room and lounge.  1 local show was held in Portage, and some chosen works were displayed at the Portage Art Center’s gallery.

1983- 4 local shows in portage took place this year, with a commission of six works for a new restaurant (designed 5 major works for local fibre artist).  3 works were accepted into “central region juried art show”, resulting in 1st prize in the oil painting categories.  I had 1 painting chosen for 51^st Manitoba society of artist’s exhibition in Winnipeg.  Design of a large new office building in portage was started.

1984- I was now selling work through Picture Hook Gallery in Winnipeg.  Work was also accepted into the 52^nd Manitoba Society of artists juried exhibition in Winnipeg, and won the Sony-Gendus award.  2 works were accepted for the Red River Exhibition art show.  My last one-man show at the Portage Art Center!

My architectural design work expanded to houses.

1985-

Death of a painter

Looking back on it, the artistic rush from the experience of Arizona and returning comparatively under-nourished artistic climate caused “artistic depression” – there was only a fleeting desire to paint and the work felt forced and looked stiff!  The enjoyment was gone.  During the winter of ’85 the painting stopped.

1986-2000-

All artistic energy went into architectural work.  A few commissions for paintings were accepted over the years, but few works were produced.

2001/2002

The new millennium started thoughts about retirement and with this mindset the paintings started again.  The work was uninspired but was useful as each new piece cleared out, the many years of built up restraint on the freedom of abstract thought.  30 years were spent creating rigid accurate works of design (abstract architecture doesn’t work!)

Some of the paintings were finally beginning to “work” again.

2003

Design started on a new internet page for display and selling works.

The paintings are still slow to come, but the impulse to paint is getting stronger every day.

2005

This year started off with a change as I got involved in the collaboration with my wife Arlene on some new designs for textile wall hanging, which she had not done for years.  Somewhere during the process a form of collage work developed.

Collaboration with another artist to produce a single finished work never occurred to me, as my artwork has always been very private.  but when you think about it, I have always collaborated with others in my architectural career to produce a building.

The square has appeared - Arlene's idea - Something I would not have done on my own as it is so geometric, and similar to an architectural language.  The final results are interesting, and will be part of the first works to be offered over the internet.

So far the works are small (no more than 9" x 9")... Another aspect of collaboration as on my own I tended to larger more substantial sized works.  I have framed a few with oversized frames and placed them in a triptic format which satisfies my preference for larger pieces.