JIM GRAFSGAARD Profile

email: jim (at) brightblueearth.com

See Curriculum Vitae

see more of Jim's work on: www.mnartists.org

Biography

Born in Fargo ND in 1956, Jim Grafsgaard grew up in a Norwegian-Lutheran family, the sixth of seven children. He learned the disciplines of creative craft from his mother, a weaver and fiber artist. He went on to earn an art degree with a focus on life drawing and sculpture from the University of California, Santa Cruz in the early 1980´s - then moved with his wife and 2 young sons to the Pacific island of Guam, her birthplace, where he began to seriously explore painting.

"The tropical islands of Micronesia opened my eyes to light and color, and my imagination to the forms and rhythms of marine life and rainforests," Grafsgaard remembers. "On Guam I also found new teachers who led me into the expansive practice of yoga and meditation." From this inspiration emerged his Geo-Expressionist vision. "I came to understand the universe as an unimaginably large living opera where every tiny particle of energy is vital."

Moving to the Twin Cities in 1988, Jim began to share his energies with other artists. "I joined a number of artist-run organizations, then I volunteered at the Babylon Cultural Center and became a founding member of the Art Trujillo Multicultural Art Collective. The power of artistic collaboration and creative organizing became clear to me. It's a great adventure to brainstorm ideas, then jump in together and make them reality - no committee meetings - just pitching in with whatever resources we have. Together we all have the power to remake our vision of what is possible."

From 2002 to 2004 Jim Grafsgaard traveled in Europe and lived in Seville, where he became fluent in Spanish, painted a series based on Andalucian Flamenco, and showed his artwork in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Since 2006 he has been exploring Mexico in annual winter journeys, studying Pre-Conquista Art and collaborating with muralists Jose Luis Soto of the Taller de Investigaciòn Plàstica, Gustavo Lira and Patricia Mendoza, among others. In February of 2007 he designed and directed a community mural for the Casa de Cultura of Tejupan, Oaxaca, an organization which he also helps support thru fund-raising events in Minnesota.

Besides painting, since 2006 Grafsgaard has been creating Geo-Expressionist video animations with his studio-mate composer and jazz musician P.J. Tracy - together they form the Bright Blue Earth Studio in NE Minneapolis. Their video work has been shown in festivals locally, in NY, Boston, The Netherlands, France and Italy.

Jim also actively produces graphic works, including comix, grafik novellas and handmade books of drawings on adult themes.