Digital art · Paintings · Bone carvings

The work, up front.

Almost five hundred works and counting — digital, painted, and carved. Wander the galleries below.

475
Works
15
Galleries
10
Exhibitions
Browse the galleries ↓

The galleries

Fourteen bodies of work.

How Do You Rule?
How Do You Rule?

Artist statement

Letting the muse take the reins.

I'm a lot of things, and being an artist is definitely one of them. The muse sits under the surface of everything I do and it is constantly whispering in my ear. In unpredictable fashion the whispers become a roar and I give her the reigns. The process is prolific and the muse burns like the brightest flame until it is finally exhausted. I am left reeling from it, both deeply satisfied and wishing it would never end. The results are in these galleries, almost 500 of them.

— Jacob Hokanson

Exhibitions

Where the work has shown.

Expand an exhibition to see its photos, writing, and video.

2013Solo Exhibition, Cowichan Theatre Reception Hall

32 selected pieces displayed for 1 month.

Rock Cod owner brings big, bold presence to weekend art show

Peter W. Rusland Cowichan News Leader Published: August 02, 2012 Bold. Colourful. Big. Abstract. Animated. All those adjectives help describe painter Jacob Hokanson's 35 or so big canvases being hung this week in his first local exhibit in Duncan's Quw'utsun' Cultural Centre. Art is the personal pursuit of the friendly owner of Cowichan Bay's Rock Cod Cafe who credited Cowichan High's former art teacher Craig Campbell, for podding him to delve deeper into his muse. "I did lots of things where I'd draw people and spy-cave bases," he said, standing beside his four- by six-foot work Weaving hung on a riverside tree at the QCC. "I was also a really big WWF fan and drew pictures of wrestlers. "Then I took art classes at Cowichan secondary, and it was Craig Campbell who initially said to me 'This stuff is kinda cool, but try a little harder to explore something more than what you're doing, and not be satisfied with the status quo you've created in yourself.' "In his class my style first arrived." Hokanson basically dubbed his style contemporary abstract. "I'm really fascinated with (psychology writers) Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, the psychology behind art and its reason and process," he aid, "and why, as an artist, I feel the need to do this in such a passionate way. "I'm trying to share my experience so people can feel safe to experience their own." After seeing how Canada's two famed Groups of Seven shared their titanic talents, Drayton Valley native Hokanson, 37, was a changed man. "I really became hyper-aware of what long-term applications can do in the art world when I was in an Ontario barn where the Group of Seven hung out. "I saw those canvases and finally understood 'This is what mastery looks like.' “What they were able to convey rocked me to my core. I realized this is the kind of power I can project if I put the time in. "I still get shivers thinking about it." He felt a similar way after seeing creations by Canada's Native Group of Seven that includes Norval Morrisseau, and Daphne Odjig. "I'm not afraid to go into uncomfortable places inside myself and have a hard look at what drives and motivates me," said the father of two who attended the Alberta College of Arts and Design. The Federation of Canadian Artists' member digs working big, with acrylic on canvas, without really caring if he sells work. "Acrylic's really fast drying and I get the kind of control I want — from fat lines to super-meticulous lines." He's painted 52 pieces in the past two years; 20 since January. "When I stand in front of the canvas, it's a dance through my mind and onto the canvas. "There's a power to that grand size and how its hits the viewer. You can almost sink into it. Often it's bigger than you are." Hokanson hopes viewers of his show leave with "a little better understanding of themselves." "Often we go through life with blinders on as personal protection, and don't have many chances to be authentic in the world. I want people to have the opportunity to do that." Your ticket What: Jacob Hokanson's art show When: Aug. 3 to 5. Opening Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. with guests Where: Quw'utsun' Cultural Centre, Duncan Tickets: Free.

2012Group Show - The HUB, Cowichan Station, BC

Outdoor Mural & Auction

2012Group Show - Cowichan Valley Arts Council, Duncan, BC

PORTALS Exhibition

2012Group Exhibition - PORTALS

This was a group show at the Portals space in the Centre of Arts, Culture and Heritage in Duncan, BC

2012Group Show - Cowichan Valley Arts Council, Duncan, BC

Annual Art Exhibition

2012Solo Exhibition - Qu'qutsun' Cultural Heritage Centre, Duncan, BC

On August 3rd, 2012, I held the reception for the largest exhibition of my art to date. Almost 40 of my large scale works were on display for 3 days at the Qu'wutsun' Cultural Centre in Duncan, BC. It was the culmination of just under 2 years of steady application and growth. My goal was to create a space that encouraged authentic connection. It was achieved.

2012Group Show - Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery, Ladysmith, BC

"Art of the Fantastic & Roots in Myth"

2012Group Show - Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery, Ladysmith, BC

"The Gods Must be Crazy"

1999Solo Show - Millennium Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC

This was my first show at an art gallery. I was living in East Vancouver, 24 years old, and ready to take on the world. I look back on it now and think, hellz yes you brave, bold, wild young man. Unfortunately, this series of paintings went up in flames when the gallery burned down at the end of the summer.

The Night it All Burned Down

I woke up in my basement suite on Parker Street. It was dark out. I got up, had a shower, and did my morning ablutions. Then I looked at the clock: it was 3am. I decided to head to the gallery; I had lots on my mind that needed doing and figured I'd get a serious head start on it. (I was, at the time, working at the Millennium Art Gallery as the Assistant Gallery Manager). I wasn't wearing my glasses, though I REALLY needed to be (whole other story here), so I headed out into the blurry night. It was calm and quiet as only that time can be. I walked down Grant Street and headed North on Commercial Drive. I saw what looked like flashing emergency lights far ahead of me but with my -4 vision I couldn't discern much. Still, I got a gitchy feeling in my gut. As I got closer, I noticed the blur of yellows and oranges and reds and the amount of emergency lights I could define grew. I thought to myself, no way. NO WAY. The gallery was on fire. There were a handful of people milling about and soon enough, up came Rick, the gallery owner. He looked to be in a state of shock; we exchanged some sorrowful words and I watched my livelihood, a bunch of my art, and a number of great instruments (we used to have live jams there on the occasional Friday night) go to the place of nevermore. As the conversations around me continued, I discovered that the store next door; a 24 hour convenience shop had been robbed, the clerk tied up, and the store set on fire. It had then travelled into the rest of the building; of which the gallery was a part of. Thankfully, the clerk made it out before it was too late. It all seemed seemed so surreal, and so... staged.

1995Solo Show - Arbutus Cafe, Duncan, BC

My first exhibition was held at the Arbutus Cafe in Duncan, back when Myles Dobson was the owner. He was always offering up his wall space to local artists and was a prolific artist himself. This was a huge step for me after moving back from the Shotgun Shack in East Van with an armful of material under my arm.