Eric Jacobsen was born and raised in New England. He received a BA in History from Gordon College in Wenham, MA in 1989 and studied fine art at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT from 1991-1995. At the Academy he received training in the Beaux Arts tradition of drawing and painting from life.

Eric's true inspiration is the amazing beauty that he sees in nature. Jacobsen is a “Plein Air” painter. He takes his oils wherever he goes, setting up on site, working until his painting is finished.

"It is most important to me that my paintings convey a certain mood", Eric says. "I want them to be felt by the viewer without his or her having to analyze or think about them. As a general rule, I try to find strong compositions in nature and then paint the scene accurately while leaving out any extraneous details which would only busy up the painting and detract from the strength of the piece as a whole. My painting process consists of finding a painting site and setting up to paint for a couple of hours, or until the light has changed. For larger paintings, I will return on consecutive days at the same time, under similar lighting conditions to finish a piece."

Awards
2022 "Artists Choice Award", Cape Anne Plein Air 2022
2021 "Second Place", Cape Ann Plein Air, Cape Ann, MA
2021 "First Place", AIS Online National Show
2021 "Award of Merit", American Impressionist Society, 22nd Annual Show, Omaha, NE
2020 “The Newcomb Award for Traditional Art”, RAAM Show Rockport, MA
2020 “Honorable Mention”, RAAM Show, Rockport, MA
2019 "Movalli Gold Metal", Rockport Art Association, National Plein Air, MA
2019 "Master Class Winner", Art Muse, February
2019 "Master Class Winner", Art Muse, March
2018 "Petite Artist's Choice", Olmstead Plein Air, Atlanta, GA
2017 "Finalist", Boldbrush, FASO, August
2017 "Honorable Mention", Rice Gallery of Fine Art Plein Air Show, Overland, KS
2017 "2nd Place" Pacific NW Plein Air, Maryhill Museum, WA
2016 "Peoples Choice Award", Cape Ann Plein Air, Cape Ann, MA
2016 "Artists Choice Award", Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA
2016 "Honorable Mention", Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA
2016 "Third Place", Door County Plein Air, Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek, WI
2016 "Artist Choice Award", Door County Plein Air, Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek, WI
2015 "Second Place Overall", October/November, Plein Air Salon, Plein Air Magazine
2015 "Artist Choice Award", Sonoma Plein Air, Sonoma, CA
2015 "Third Place", Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA
2015 "2nd Place Quick Draw", Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA
2015 "2nd Place", Smith Rock Paint Out, High Desert Art League, OR
2015 "Artists Choice", "Weekend in the West", Evergreen Fine Art, Evergreen, CO
2014 "Best of Show", Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA
2014 "Artists Choice", Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA
2014 "Best Sky", NW Plein Air, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR
2014 "Artists Choice", NW Plein Air, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR
2014 "Best Body of Work", Plein Air for the Park, Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, Grand Teton National Park, WY
2014 "Best of Show", Plein Air and More, Cannon Beach, OR
2014 "1st Place Award", 6th Annual Plein Air & More Arts Festival, Cannon Beach, OR
2013 "Artist Choice Award", Pacific NW Plein Air 2013, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2013 "People's Choice", Pacific NW Plein Air 2013, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2012 "1st Place", Pacific NW Plein Air 2012, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2012 "Artist's Choice Award", Pacific NW Plein Air 2012, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2012 "Artist's Choice Award", Weekend in the West, Evergreen Fine Art, Evergreen, CO
2011 "1st Place", Pacific NW Plein Air, Columbia Arts 2011, Hood River, OR
2010 "Honorable Mention", Pacific NW Plein Air 2010, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2009 "Finalist", FineArt Views Painting Competition July
2009 "Best of Show", Pacific NW Plein Air 2009, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2009 "Artists Choice Award", Pacific NW Plein Air 2009, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2008 "Artist in Residence", University Club, Portland, OR
2007 "Best Studio Work", Pacific NW Plein Air, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2007 "Second Place", Pacific NW Plein Air, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2006 "Second Place", Pacific NW Plein Air 2006, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2005 "Best Studio Work", Pacific NW Plein Air, Columbia Arts, Hood River, OR
2005 "Artist Choice Award", Paint the Town Red, Muse Gallery, Jackson Hole, WY
2005 "Utrecht Award of Excellence", OPA Fourteenth National Exhibition, Chicago, IL
2004 "Award of Merit", OPA NW Regional Exhibition, Howard/Mandville, Kirkland, WA
2003 "Third Place", Progress Energy Florida Invitational, MainStreet Galleries, Perry, FL
2002 "Kahlil Gibran Award", Fall Members Exhibition, Copley Society, Boston, MA
2001 "Juror’s Choice Award", 22nd Annual Artists of the Gorge Exhibition, Stevenson, WA
2001 "Honorable Mention", Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, Lake Oswego, OR
1999 "Purchase Award",20th Annual Artists of the Gorge Exhibition, Stevenson, WA
1999 "Copley Artist” Copley Society, Boston, MA
1998 "Jurors Choice", 19th Annual Artists of the Gorge Exhibition, Stevenson, WA
1996 "Yankee Magazine Robb Sagendorph Memorial Award", Copley Society,Boston, MA
1995 "John Stobart Landscape Fellowship", Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, Old Lyme, CT
1995 "First Prize", Human Element Juried Show, Essex, CT
1995 "Robert Brooks Memorial Student Scholarship Award", Copley Society, Boston, MA