Among the generation of American artists now is their early forties, Iowa born painter and printmaker Jim Buckels is a delightful anomaly: An artist more driven by his inner visions than by fashions and trends. Yet, his work possesses an innate sophistication that places it prominently within the post-modern mainstream.

Buckels’ artistic talent won him a scholarship to the University of Northern Iowa. Interrupted by a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, including a tour of Vietnam, he returned to civilian life in 1971, resumed his studies at UNI and earned a bachelors degree in art.

His artwork combines a bold use of color and line. Using an airbrush and acrylic paints in techniques which may have been considered critically “unacceptable” even a decade ago, Buckels masterfully executes compositions with flat, rich colors and very fine detail. “The airbrush creates a mood that cannot be achieved using other techniques”, Buckels says, “soft vignettes or smooth transitions from light to dark values” are especially successful when he uses this technique. Perhaps the most important result of his use of the airbrush is that it has given Buckels a unique and recognizable style.

The artist also uses many traditional techniques, such as sable brush, in combination with the airbrush.

His landscapes compel the viewer to move through shadows or secret passageways in distant lands and across purple-hued skies, or behind the verdant hills or a desolate New England farm. All embody the excitement of travel and adventure¾the very essence of this contemporary artist.