Rob Jacobs Interview

I'm part of an artist discussion group, and occasionally we interview each other about our art. This evening Lyn Southworth interviewed Rob Jacobs, and I transcribed the interview, which follows. You can see Rob's art on his website.



Lyn: It's really delightful to be able to interview you tonight, Rob. The first question that I have for you has to do with your musical background. You have talked about a great love of music and all the study that you put into music. Could you tell us more about your musical background and how you feel music is present in your current paintings?

Rob: Thank you, Lyn. I was brought up in a family . . . my father was an artist and there was no professional music personage in my family, but my mother . . . I have one brother, and we had to play an instrument. So I started playing the clarinet when I was about eight. I loved music. It was a tremendous joy for me. I actually got to be a very good clarinet player. I played with people who were relatively well known in the world as I grew up. But, as far as art, I was just kind of observing my father do commercial art. He also did some painting – he made things -- but he was making a living as a handwriting artist and a calligrapher.

Rob: How does my art pertain to music? I think eventually the music started going down for me. It became almost like a dada experience. It almost became destroyed at some point. I went into the military and served there for about three and a half years. When I came out, music was almost gone, as far as a practical expression, and I went into art. I just kind of followed my father in the art field and eventually became a fine artist. I don't think that they really related. They seem to be two separate entities for me.

Lyn: So one stage of your life was music and then another stage of your life is art.

Rob: Yes, but I still love music. Music kind of came back, but just more as my love for it, and more as a spiritual pursuit. I just pretty much do it on a spiritual level. Chanting, and things like that.

Lyn: I'm glad you brought up the spiritual level. I've seen some of your angel series, and I would like to know how you came to create that angel series.

Rob: One day – I think it was around 1990 or so – a voice told me to create a series of angels. Just as clear as that. I had no idea why. I just followed that intuition – that voice. I began doing that, and then it was later on that I actually found out why I created the series. There was a specific incident with my father which was pretty incredible. I'll just relate it very quickly, because it's part of this whole thing.

Rob: I had created something like – I hate to use the term “I created” – I just felt it was coming through me, but I had done maybe six or seven angels. My father was living at a retirement home in Westwood. One day when I was over there I asked him if he wanted one of my angel pieces in his room, and he said, “Yes.” He chose – I call it number five – angel five. And these words came out of my mouth – I didn't even try to say them. I said, “This angel will protect you.” Without trying to say them, the words came out.

Rob: My studio was across from the LA County Museum of Art. I always, without exception, made an arrangement to see him when I was going to see him, and I saw him every week. One day I was going home, and I wasn't going to see him. I was heading up toward Hollywood. Another voice, just as clear as if it was saying it to me in my head, said “Go see your father, go see your father.” I hadn't planned on seeing him – I hadn't made any arrangements. So I turned around, went to Westwood, went up to the seventh floor where he was living, and I could hear the television through the door. I'm knocking on the door, and there's no answer. So I got the people to open up the door, and he was out cold on the floor. He had had a diabetic shock – insulin shock. The paramedics were there within a short period of time, and they saved him, revived him. I knew that the voice was that angel calling me to come back.

Lyn: Come and take care of your dad. What an experience!

Rob: However, about a year and a half later he passed on. He was ninety-three years old, and he had lived in every decade of the twentieth century.

Lyn: I'm very glad I asked that question! What a wonderful story. One of the things I was wondering is if you would imagine for us, and I kind of hate to ask you to do this, but I think it might be pretty interesting. Please imagine for us what your future work will be like. Are you thinking of venturing into new medias, new subjects, traveling further down the path you’re currently investigating? Look ahead.

Rob: It's a really good question. All my fine art uses as its source palettes that I pre-created in commercial art. Some series I add to them. Like the angels – I add to them. The palettes become backgrounds, and then I add angels and layers and . . . I was just looking the other day at the number of palettes I have left, and going through them. I'm glad that I have this means of expression, because one of the most important things to me in art is to do something unique. My palettes are my palettes, for good, bad or it doesn't make any difference. That's my art. It can never be taken away from it. It's what I do.

Rob: Will I continue to keep on using this as a source? In a way, I hate to say it, but I'm afraid to let go of it. I was going through some of them the other day – I have a lot – probably over a thousand or more. I'm still finding images that I'm resonating with. I do a lot with it, but as the prime source, it's like the foundation of my work. I see continuing to make better images with those materials.

Lyn: You're very lucky to have a thousand of them left. If I were you I would be looking at a shrinking pile and going, “Uh oh!” The last question in this interview is kind of a personal one. Maybe the other ones were personal, too, but what do you think is essential for people who see your paintings to know about you?

Rob: I never thought of it like that. What I want to know, when I have an art experience with someone else, is if it takes me to another place – a place I haven't been to, moves me emotionally. I don't know if I'd want them to know more about me. What I want to do is present something that will give someone the experiences I've had that have moved me to another place. One example was when I heard this Indian violinist, Supermanian (SP?), his name is, at a concert. He started playing with this group, and I was literally transformed to India. It was the most amazing thing. I was seeing cows and people. It was so incredible I just about fell off the chair when he was through playing. It was an experience that was so unique. That's what I would like to accomplish, that someone is moved. “Wow! I haven't seen this.” That’s pretty much it I think.

Lyn: Thank you very much.

Rob: Thank you!