Interview and video by Mouty Shackelford, Artsy Scoop

It was 2017, and he had just graduated from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).  Armed with a marketing degree and a good, honest corporate job, things were falling into place along a flight path that most would’ve expected from Jacob Lovett at that time.  But Lovett’s life was about to turn a corner that he never anticipated, and that would set him on a completely new course.  

Never Forget 48 x 60
Image: Courtesy of Artist

To be fair, Jacob had displayed some artistic chops in high school, but was primarily known for his drawing and sketching skills, and he imaged that, if anything, that skill would come in handy in his future career as a marketing aficionado.  Fate had other plans, of course.  His departure from a more ‘traditional’ vocation began with a single art commission.  A good friend had lost her brother, and asked Jacob if he would be willing to paint something for her and her parents.  She knew of his drawing ability, but he had never painted before.  As in, ever.

He knew that she was investing in more than just a finished product, she was investing in him and his talent, but he tells me, “The only thing I had ever painted before was my bedroom walls.”  Nonetheless, Jacob was undeterred, and accepted her offer.  He bought some brushes, a canvas, and a collection of acrylic paints and got to work, but not before watching “as many YouTube videos as I could find on the subject of ‘How to Paint.”  Once completed, the finished product was incredibly well received, and it lit a fire under him to continue painting, but he decided that if he was going to do so, he needed to find a Master to learn from first.

Jacob found his teacher in the form of Laert “Alex” Aleski at Studio Sobka, and he spent the next three years painting, learning, and painting some more.  When he speaks of Alex, there is clear and palpable respect and reverence in his voice.  It was during his very first sessions that Jacob was told to “Forget what you know.  I will teach you everything you need.”  Under Alex’s tutelage, Jacob learned why selecting the right subject was the most important element to painting, the process for creating a grid, how to plan and determine the layout, and the necessity of completing all the other preliminary steps that make the execution so much easier, long before you ever pick up a brush.  He also made the jump from acrylics to oils, and has never looked back.

Looking at the work that Lovett has created over the past 12-18 months, you’ll quickly notice some divergent styles, but the artist behind the work is unmistakable.  On the one hand, there are a collection of pieces that are deep, dark, and highly saturated, and have the clear influence of Caravaggio.  Another collection features ample white space, and brighter, warmer colors, where the voids serve to accentuate the subject, not dilute or obscure it.

Today, Jacob Levitt is ‘trending’ in all the right art circles.  His work has been shown (and sold) at Craighead Green Gallery in Dallas, at Amy Young Art Gallery in Fort Worth, and many other local gallerists are buzzing about showing his work.  He also maintains a robust online gallery of his own, and true to his collegiate education, seems to have a firm grasp on the benefits of good marketing, cultivating buzz, and making his art and other merchandise readily available as easy to buy.

Muse.
Image: Courtesy of Artist

We discussed the many avenues that are available to modern artists, and he acknowledges that there are pros and cons to everything.  “I may go the gallery representation route, or work with a brand to create work for them, or I may stay independent and sell things myself”.  I ask him if he was leaning one way or the other, and he says that the only thing that really matters to him is that the choice be his and his alone.  “Whatever I choose will be right one for me, as long as I am able to dictate the path forward, and not have that decision made for me.”

On this particular day, we are sitting in Muse. ,which is another project of Jacob’s that came out of left field, but that has now added to his growing imprint on the Fort Worth art scene and on the greater art community.  Back when he was first starting to paint, like most artists, his home was his studio.  Lovett desperately wanted to find a space to work, but Fort Worth proved to be a city that was desperately lacking in affordable studio space for artists.  So, he created one.

Muse.
Image: Courtesy of Artist

Muse. opened in Jan 2021 with its underlying mission to house local artists in affordable, accessible studio spaces.  The studio offers a 1,100 sq ft panoramic photography studio, outdoor event space, and or course, studios for artists.  He plans to create flexibility for people want to use the space multiple times a month, by implementing a membership program. Jacob says that the event space is really proving to be a great multi-purpose venue.  Best of all, the creator and proprietor gets to have a proper studio space of his own too!

Jacob and I wrap up our conversation with a bit of reflection on the apparent speed with which he has grown from receiving that first commission to paint, to being a full-time painter with art that is in demand.  He seems to have taken it all in stride, and despite discovering his calling a little later than some, he says with self-assurance, “This is what I am supposed to do, and I hope to be an artist forever.”

– visit Jacob’s Website to see more artwork or connect with Muse. – 

Article & Video by: Mouty Shackelford
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