Eric Jensen: MYTH OF PROGRESS
“This was one of those moments where an entire universe revealed itself on the fallen log of a cottonwood.”
Summer II 2024 Artist-in-Residence with the Clark Fork Coalition
Eric Jensen painting during his Artist-in-Residence at Clark Fork Coalition Field Station in Deer Lodge, MT.
How would you describe the evolution of your work, and how do you hope your audience perceives it?
The evolution of my work is the evolution of my relationship with nature. I was born into a Mormon family that views the land as a gift from god, provided for us. I’ve whittled down this vision of manifest destiny from its entitled roots, extractive proclivities, and blind vision to the spiritual truths that can be found in nature if approached in more earnest and reciprocal ways. My artwork is an attempt to engage with the traditions of Western landscape painting in order to swing the direction of this culture back towards having a deep and untainted spiritual relationship with nature.
Artwork by Eric Jensen
Describe your Open AIR Residency Experience.
My friend Lane Chapman and I spent six weeks at a remote field site within the boundaries of a large ranch outside of Deer Lodge. We were given a large sunroom to use as a studio and a nice home to live in, and we had close access to the Clark Fork River through a cottonwood-laden seasonal drainage.
I have never felt so supported as an artist. To have that space and that amount of time, to be encouraged but not pressured, to have opportunities but no expectations. That is a sweet spot for me (and likely many others), not just for art making but for feeling motivated and excited in general. I also thrive in wide, open spaces close to a body of water. The space encourages perspective, and the water encourages release. And when the space became too much, there was an incredible intimacy available among the cottonwoods.
Lane Chapman at work in the shared studio at the Cottonwood Field Station.
I came to this residency with a pile of pent-up artistic energy and the need to relax and gain perspective on recent changes in my life. I had finished graduate school with an MFA in painting a year previously and was going through all the changes that come with that transition. I was very eager to paint, but also to build a relationship with the landscape surrounding our field site. I would “allow” myself to take either course each day, no hard plans, just feeling where my mind and body wanted to go each day. We spent time in Butte, Anaconda, the surrounding hills and river channels, and in the mountains rimming the valley.
Building a relationship with landscape is at the core of my artistic process. My paintings are not attempts to represent my view of the land but are instead offerings where I am asking to understand the land. Doing this in the Deer Lodge Valley carried various oppressive weights tied to the massive scale of the pollution, modification, and extraction that has happened there, but despite those events, the valley feels very vital, asking to redefine itself.
Cottonwood grove at the residency site.
While exploring every nook and cranny of that place seemed like the obvious thing to do, my breakthrough period came when my car broke down halfway through the program, “stranding” me at the field site. I was overjoyed that my only options each day were either to paint or to explore the area on foot. We have all experienced the notion that “one could spend an entire lifetime exploring one square inch of the earth.” This was one of those moments where an entire universe revealed itself on the fallen log of a cottonwood.
I would sit on those logs every day. I would sit there trying to accept myself while unattaching from everything I thought I was. I was able to let go of all of it, the need to paint, the need to be known, the need to know. An empty room is not a wasted space, but a carrier of unlimited potential. The moment that I could let go of my desire to create was the moment that my mind would flood with imagery and meaning. This process would not have been possible without the support that this residency provided and the power that is present in that place.
Ranch lands near the residency site.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn, and what is the back story?
A lesson that I’ve had to unlearn is the myth of progress. Like many of us, I’ve carried the weight of “success” around with me since childhood. This became especially heavy during graduate school and turned me into a “hollow soul.” I have since been able to shed some of that pressure but continue to look for a balance between survival and achievement. It’s unfortunate that we put the pressure of success next to the genuine need for creative expression.
Artwork by Eric Jensen.
What are you reading/watching/or listening to?
During the residency, I was reading/watching/listening to:
I Ching
Anam Cara
Seven Arrows
Meister Eckhart’s teachings
Saint John of the Cross & Teresa De Avila’s stories
Dr. Leroy Littlebear’s lectures
Landmarks - R.Macfarlane
Roadside Geology of Montana
Clark Fork River, Deer Lodge, MT.
What are you up to now (post Open AIR)?
While finishing up this residency, I made some changes in my life in order to help create more dedicated studio time. I have since obtained a cargo van that I am building out to be a traveling studio. I want to be able to park in remote locations and create my own mini residencies while painting and exploring Western landscapes. Like with my Open AIR experience, the van will be “stuck” in place when it's set up like a studio, more or less forcing me to slow down and fully engage with the place I will be in.
Click to learn Eric’s thoughts on being an artist!
Enjoy a collaborative and illuminating Artist Presentation by Lane Chapman and Eric Jensen!
Want to learn more about Eric? Visit his website!
