Jim Keffer
Nichols Hills, OK
Jim, a self-taught artist from Oklahoma City, has considered himself an artist since the age of five. However, it was over three decades later that he finally took action to pursue his artistic aspirations. During the in-between-time period, Jim pursued a biology major and math minor at college for one and a half years, worked in a tire factory for 21 years, and spent over 12 years as a race car fabricator.
In 1996, Jim embarked on his artistic journey by crafting handcrafted, carved, and painted wooden furniture. This marked the beginning of his active pursuit of his creative instincts. Two years later, he experimented with applying paint to canvas leading to the development of his unique artistic style. His work has gained significant public recognition, and he is represented by four galleries: JRB in Oklahoma City, Terra Rosa in Guthrie, Parson’s in Taos, and Giacobbe Fritz in Santa Fe.
From a young age, Jim has been fascinated by the shapes and colors of landscapes. He believes that like all artists, he has a need to express his emotions through tangible mediums. During a 2011 interview with the Oklahoma Arts Council, he shared his creative process while painting begins with a real-world location in mind, applying an initial coat of acrylic color, typically red, to a blank canvas, which creating a vibrant undercoat reminiscent of a sunrise.
Subsequently, he interprets the places he has visited by forming shapes and layers of colors. Jim describes his painting process as akin to his life: he sets to work; executes a plan; and, adjusts as necessary. He doesn’t feel entirely in control of the outcome, believing paintings take on a life of their own: he just adds the final colors and he learns from the experience. Jim says he’s overheard viewers say, “My grandkids could do that.”
