Jim Hansel
Jim Hansel, one of America’s premier wildlife, nature and landscape artists, is an artist with a twist. At the age of 12, Jim was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition called Stargardts. This eye condition left him legally blind. At a young age, Jim began to demonstrate his artistic ability. Throughout his life, he never swayed from his childhood dream of becoming an artist. In spite of his limited vision, he pursued his passion for painting with the use of low vision devices and has become one of the most collected 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 obstacles, along with his continued passion for art. With images in nature, wildlife and Americana, Jim shows versatility and love of his subject matter.Jim’s ability to paint these images has not come without challenges. Despite his visual limitations, knowing that the world we see is not always the world Jim sees, he created beautifully detailed images with the use of magnifiers and low-vision devices. As Jim painted the details of each painting, working only one or two inches away from the canvas, painstakingly adding those details, he always had a clear mental picture of the final piece. He believes that hard work and perseverance, as well as, a love of art are the reasons for his continued success.When Jim put on his glasses and began his brush strokes, his paintings came into focus, if only a few square inches at a time. Each painting is a collective of these small areas and a masterpiece of magnificent detailing, sometimes taking up to 8 months to complete a single painting. It has always been Jim’s desire that his artwork be judged on its own merit in spite of his visual impairment. It is this determination and a commitment to excellence that launched him into the national spotlight. Since the release of his first image in 1987, Jim has produced nearly 200 limited edition prints, many of which have sold out due to his immense popularity as an artist. His reputation for detail as well as distinctive, colorful landscapes, have proven to be very popular with art collectors worldwide.Jim has been invited to appear on different television programs, received much recognition, along with numerous awards for his work. Over the years, he has been commissioned to produce many paintings, which have been featured by Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association and TIP (Turn in Poachers). He has created works for other charitable organizations, as well. He was commissioned by a Youth Project in Minnesota. This collection of paintings was used to raise money for their program, which benefits today’s youth in need of special services.Many members of the Minnesota Vikings Organization have purchased Jim’s work in support of this cause, as well as, for their own love of his art.Jim has also been the subject of an award winning documentary, “Vision – Seeing is Believing,” which shows the steps it takes for Jim to create one of his paintings. The documentary can be seen on Jim’s website JimHanselART.com and on YouTube.Jim lives in Chaska, Minnesota with his wife Lois, who has been pivotal in his success within the art world. Married for over 40 years, Lois has been intensely involved in the production of Jim’s art prints. With a background in advertising and print production, she oversees the printing of Jim’s artwork to ensure the highest quality possible. Jim and Lois have two children, Joe and Laura.
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