44 August-September 2019 / http://www.outdoorpainter.com
40 x 60-inchcanvashesawina
localartstoreluredoilpainter
RyanJensenintotheworld
ofbigpaintings.“Iwondered
whatit wouldbeliketotake
thatoutsidetopaint—howwouldI even
putit onmyeasel,”herecalls.“Well,I’dnever
knowif I didn’ttry,soI decidedthatthenext
timeI wentinthatartstore,I wasgoingto
getit.”Theformatwasdaunting.That’swhat
Jensenlikedaboutit.“Ifthesubjectorsize
intimidatesme,I havetoidentifywhatI’m
afraidofandfigureit out,”hesays.“Ifeela
rushofadrenalineatthethoughtof the chal-
lenge and I commit to doing it.”
Jensenknowsa littlebitaboutcommitment.
Thechildof a graphicdesigneranda fineartpaint-
er,hewasa devoutdraftsmangrowingup.“There
arepilesof mysketchbooksat mymom’shouse,”
hesays.Hewasalsoa dedicatedathletein school.
Buthelearnedthetruemeaningof commitment
anddedicationwhenhejoinedtheMarineCorps.
“Asa painter,I havea certaindisciplinethat
wasbirthedin theCorps,”Jensensays.“I’mnot
quitesureif anyoneunderstandsthededication
thatI putforwardonmyart-making.I lookat
hundredsof paintingsonlineeveryday,talkto
mymentor,andpaint.Justtalkingaboutpainting
getsmereallysouped-upbecauseit’smymission.
When I was a Marine, my mission was to be thebestMarineI couldbe—to stayhealthyandkeep
myguysalive.Nowmymissionis to doa great
paintingandgetbettereverydayat it. If I don’t
painta goodpainting,thenI haveto learnfrom
it. I’mnotallowedto gettoodiscouragedaboutit.
AndI’mnotallowedto slowdown.”
Disciplineanddedicationweren’ttheonly
qualitiesJensenbroughthomefromtheMarine
Corps.Hesaysit alsohonedhisobservation
skills,patience,toughness,andsocialskills.Only
thecallandresponsibilitiesof marriageand
childrendissuadedhimfromservingoutthefull
20 yearsof a militarycareerist.Luckily,Jensen
saysheenjoystheloveof a supportivewifewho
championed him both as a Marine and an artist.PAINTING BIG MEANS
PAINTING WITH
YOUR ENTIRE BODY
RedBoat
2018,oil, 40 x 60in.
Collectionthe artist
Plein air