Jim Hansel

Jim Hansel, one of America's Premier conductors, nature and landscape artists , is a swirl artist. At the age of 12, Jim was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition called Stargardt. This eye condition left him legally blind. Despite his limited vision, he pursued his passion for painting using low-vision devices and became one of the most popular artists in the United States and Canada. As a result of his partial loss of vision, Jim hopes to serve as an inspiration to the American spirit in overcoming his disability and pursuing his passion for art. With images in nature, the wild, and America, Jim demonstrates versatility and love for his subjects. At a young age, Jim began to demonstrate his artistic abilities. Throughout his life, he never swung out of his childhood dream of becoming an artist. Jim's love of the wild and the outdoors has been the subject of his work for many years. However, Jim's ability to draw these images did not come without problems. Despite his visual limitations, and that the world we see isn't always the world Jim sees, he has learned to create beautifully detailed images using a magnifying glass and low-vision devices. When Jim draws a picture in detail on a painting, he works just one or two inches away from the canvas. However, although he painstakingly adds these details, he has a clear picture in his mind about the final product. Hansel also relies on his camera to capture his ideas and get their attention. Like many other artists, Jim uses photographs to bring the landscape and objects back to his Studio. At this point, it will zoom in on the images if necessary so that it can see them more clearly. But the pictures of pictures is not the same as to paint the original oil. It's amazing when Jim puts on his glasses and starts to brush, his paintings fit into focus. But, only a few square inches at a time. Hansel believes that because of his vision, he spends more time drawing, adding more detail than many other artists. He spent up to four months on a single painting. Jim said that he wants his work to be judged on its own merit, not on the basis that he is an artist with a visual impairment. This determination launched him into the national spotlight. Since the release of his first image in 1987, Jim has produced almost 175 limited-edition prints. Many publications have been sold. Its reputation for detail and its distinctive, colorful landscapes has proved very popular with art collectors around the world. Jim's wife, Lois, plays a role in the success of her art business. Since her marriage in 1985, Lois has been involved in the production of Jim's art prints. With a background in advertising and print, she oversees the publication of Jim's work to ensure the highest possible quality. Jim and Lois have two adult children, Joe, a meteorologist, and Laura, an art student. Jim has also received much recognition and numerous awards for his work. In recent years, Jim has been commissioned to produce several paintings that have featured Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants forever, the Minnesota deer hunters Association, and TIP (Turn in Poachers). Limited-edition print publications are used to raise money for these environmental organizations. For his services, Hansel was awarded many other awards. He believes that hard work and perseverance is why he was so successful. Jim's full work can be seen on the website www.jimhanselart.com .