http://www.outdoorpainter.com / August-September 2019 45
PARTOFTHEEARTH
Jensenwasa machinegunnerina sniperunit,seeingactioninboth
IraqandAfghanistan.Hisartisteyesstayedwithhimeveninthemost
dangeroussituations.“Inthemorningswhenthesunwascoming
up,andintheevenings,therewouldsometimesbethisamazinglight
inAfghanistan,”herecalls,“scenessobeautifultheylookedlikea
cartoon.Allthatwarmlightcouldappearsoexaggerated.I wishedI
werearmedwithmycameramorethanmygun.Still,I didgetmyfair
shareof photos,includingsomeamazingblack-and-whiteones.”
Observationskillsweren’ta nicety—theywerea matterof lifeand
death.“Youhaveto bereallygoodat yourjob,”Jensensaysof hiswork
in theMarines.“Youhaveto beworkingharderthantheenemy.You
haveto beconsciousof notsettinga pattern,notdoingthesamepatrol
at thesametimeeveryday.Youhaveto besetupin a sniperhidebefore
thesuncomesup.Yes,youhaveto beobservantas youlookthroughthe
scopeof yourM40rifle,butit’smorethanthat.Youhaveto noticeif
thebirdin thetreebehindyouisn’tchirpingonemorninglikeit usually
does.Youhaveto pickuponthat.Onepersonin thesniperunithasto
fillin theobservationlogto findsubtledifferencesin thepattern,in the
environment.A sniperis a partof theearth.”
Pairthatkindofscrutinywithaneyeforcolorandshapeand
youhaveanextremelyobservantartist.Pairthatlevelofobservational
(ABOVE)Docked, 2019,oil, 12 x 12in.,collectiontheartist,pleinair•(BELOW) ability with Marine Corps-level dedication and you get Ryan Jensen.
SomewhereinArcata, 2018,oil, 20 x 16in.,collectiontheartist,pleinair•
(BELOW RIGHT) White Boat, 2019, oil, 10 x 8 in., collection the artist, plein air