Jim Hansel Hand Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Canvas: "Winter Refuge (Cardinals)"
Artist: Jim Hansel
Title: Winter Refuge
Medium: Canvas
Image Dimensions: 12" x 16"
About the Artist: In this part of the country we are blessed with so many talented wildlife artists. Jim Hansel is not only talented, but he has had to overcome special challenges to paint so beautifully. The outside world that Jim Hansel sees is not the one we see. At an early age, Jim was diagnosed with an eye condition called Stargardts. The eye condition, which has stabilized, left Jim legally blind from an early age. Despite his disability, Jim has learned to overcome his visual limitations. Through the use of magnifiers and low vision aids, Jim brings his work into focus. Jim also relies on his camera to capture his ideas. Like many other artists, Jim uses photographs of his wildlife models to bring the landscape he sees back to his studio. At this point, Jim will enlarge the images if it is necessary, for him to see them more clearly. But snapping pictures is not the same as painting original oils. Amazingly, Hansel's brush strokes create detailed moments in nature that his eyes cannot clearly see. With the use of low vision aids, Jim's paintings are now in focus, but only a few square inches at a time. Hansel believes that due to his vision, he spends more time on a painting adding more detail than many other artists. He has spent as much as four months on one individual painting. Jim has said he wants his artwork to be judged on its own merit and not on the basis that he is an artist with a visual impairment. This determination had launched Hansel into the national spotlight. In just a few short years, Jim has released over seventy limited-edition prints, many of which are sold out. His reputation for detail and his distinctive colorful landscapes have proven to be very popular with art collectors across the country. Jim Hansel began painting at the age of 15. He developed his artistic skills while attending college, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Commercial Art, in 1985. In 1989, Hansel was a featured artist in the Courage Card Collection. He was also a semi-finalist for the Deer Hunters Association print competition, several times, a finalist in the 1990 Pheasant Habitat competition and a finalist in the Colorado Duck Stamp competition. Jim has also received much recognition and numerous awards. Jim has been commissioned several times by Ducks Unlimited to produce the Minnesota D.U. Print of the Year. He's been a finalist in the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association print competition six times, and received the People's Choice Award in 1994. Jim has been commissioned by Pheasants Forever for a couple of his prints as well. Hansel has been honored with many other awards to his credit, and he believes that hard work and persistence is why we has been successful. Jim Hansel's great passion is in wildlife and the outdoors. His focus is on combining wildlife subjects with interesting and colorful landscapes and his greatest talent is recognizing the unique characteristics of nature and describing it in paint. When not putting brush to canvas Hansel can be found with his family, fishing, hunting, or just enjoying the panoramic view. He's a sportsman at heart and enjoys all outdoor activities. In 1992 Jim Hansel was commissioned by Minnesota Ducks Unlimited to produce their Minnesota Print of the Year, "Autumn Ringnecks." In the same year, he also produced the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association sponsor print, "River Bottom Buck."
Title: Winter Refuge
Medium: Canvas
Image Dimensions: 12" x 16"
About the Artist: In this part of the country we are blessed with so many talented wildlife artists. Jim Hansel is not only talented, but he has had to overcome special challenges to paint so beautifully. The outside world that Jim Hansel sees is not the one we see. At an early age, Jim was diagnosed with an eye condition called Stargardts. The eye condition, which has stabilized, left Jim legally blind from an early age. Despite his disability, Jim has learned to overcome his visual limitations. Through the use of magnifiers and low vision aids, Jim brings his work into focus. Jim also relies on his camera to capture his ideas. Like many other artists, Jim uses photographs of his wildlife models to bring the landscape he sees back to his studio. At this point, Jim will enlarge the images if it is necessary, for him to see them more clearly. But snapping pictures is not the same as painting original oils. Amazingly, Hansel's brush strokes create detailed moments in nature that his eyes cannot clearly see. With the use of low vision aids, Jim's paintings are now in focus, but only a few square inches at a time. Hansel believes that due to his vision, he spends more time on a painting adding more detail than many other artists. He has spent as much as four months on one individual painting. Jim has said he wants his artwork to be judged on its own merit and not on the basis that he is an artist with a visual impairment. This determination had launched Hansel into the national spotlight. In just a few short years, Jim has released over seventy limited-edition prints, many of which are sold out. His reputation for detail and his distinctive colorful landscapes have proven to be very popular with art collectors across the country. Jim Hansel began painting at the age of 15. He developed his artistic skills while attending college, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Commercial Art, in 1985. In 1989, Hansel was a featured artist in the Courage Card Collection. He was also a semi-finalist for the Deer Hunters Association print competition, several times, a finalist in the 1990 Pheasant Habitat competition and a finalist in the Colorado Duck Stamp competition. Jim has also received much recognition and numerous awards. Jim has been commissioned several times by Ducks Unlimited to produce the Minnesota D.U. Print of the Year. He's been a finalist in the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association print competition six times, and received the People's Choice Award in 1994. Jim has been commissioned by Pheasants Forever for a couple of his prints as well. Hansel has been honored with many other awards to his credit, and he believes that hard work and persistence is why we has been successful. Jim Hansel's great passion is in wildlife and the outdoors. His focus is on combining wildlife subjects with interesting and colorful landscapes and his greatest talent is recognizing the unique characteristics of nature and describing it in paint. When not putting brush to canvas Hansel can be found with his family, fishing, hunting, or just enjoying the panoramic view. He's a sportsman at heart and enjoys all outdoor activities. In 1992 Jim Hansel was commissioned by Minnesota Ducks Unlimited to produce their Minnesota Print of the Year, "Autumn Ringnecks." In the same year, he also produced the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association sponsor print, "River Bottom Buck."
