{"id":22642,"date":"2013-09-05T13:55:11","date_gmt":"2013-09-05T19:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=22642"},"modified":"2025-11-08T14:40:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T21:40:59","slug":"hilary-wilkinson-artist-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/hilary-wilkinson-artist-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Demise and Beauty: Hilary Jacobsen Embraces Death Through Art"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nCertain people exude authenticity: it\u2019s apparent in their genuine and honest reflections. Hilary W. Jacobsen is one such person, possessing a natural and humble attitude towards life, yet confident and eager to discuss her artistic journey. A native of Salt Lake City, Jacobsen reflects on how her childhood helped cultivate in her an appreciation for nature and enjoyment of the wonders of the outdoors. \u201cBeing in nature, with nature, helped me find myself and in some ways became my religion,\u201d she says. \u201cI found a peace in being outside\u2014in nature, which led me away from the religious beliefs that I\u2019d been taught as a young child and introduced to me to a new spirituality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elements of nature run through Jacobsen\u2019s work\u2014there is always a connection to the natural world, be it through animals, patterns or human skulls. Jacobsen becomes animated as she talks about her connection to nature and there is truthfulness in her expression of the serenity she experiences through her spiritual relationship. Freedom from the confines of city dwelling spawns a new wave of creativity for Jacobsen, who contemplates the sense of renewal that occurs when engaged in the beauty of the natural world and which eventually manifests on canvas.<\/p>\n

Jacobsen, a new mother of a cherubic six-month old baby girl named Juniper, reflects on being drawn to paint as a very young child: \u201cI think I was around six when I had my first lesson. I was encouraged and supported by my parents to explore my world through art.\u201d \u00a0And that\u2019s what she\u2019s done ever since. \u201cI entered the art program at the University of Utah to pursue a driving passion and had an amazing experience in every respect. Professors such as Sam Wilson, Maureen O\u2019Hara Ure and John Erickson, inspired me to identify my own unique aesthetic while instilling a work ethic that has stayed with me and enabled me to remain focused and determined.\u201d Jacobsen graduated with her BFA with an emphasis in painting and drawing in 2007 and upon graduation received the Ethel Armstrong Rolapp Award for her outstanding portfolio. Well aware that she has entered a field with rampant competition, Jacobsen maintains a sense of rational realism when it comes to her art. Fueled by an appetite and drive to create, she says, \u201cUltimately I create work for myself, I feel compelled to create, however, I\u2019m incredibly flattered that people enjoy my work and realize it doesn\u2019t speak to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kurt Vonnegut mused, \u201cNo art is possible without a dance with death.\u201d At least for Jacobsen this rings true. Death is a subject that the artist has explored through her paintings, many of which include human skeletons and skulls in embrace. The symbolism of the finality of life is obvious yet the playfulness of the compositions and colors suggests a sense of humor and a connection to the subjects that seems to reveal an appreciation for the skeletal form, the remains of a human life. Jacobsen recalls a drawing class taught by Sam Wilson, who had arranged a variety of objects on a table and asked students to select one. Jacobsen was immediately drawn to a cavernous human skull replica, which she describes as \u201cpirate-esque\u201d\u2014complete with missing teeth and protruding jaw. Thus began her fascination with skulls and skeletons. \u201cThe idea was to pick an object that we would continually draw from using different mediums. My exploration of the skull evolved to drawing on paper to charcoal to graphite to pastels, using different styles and mediums and it evolved organically and I never stopped.\u201d This led Jacobsen to research the art historical importance of skulls, particularly in late medieval and early renaissance paintings such as Fra Angelico\u2019s \u2018Crucifixion.\u2019 Jacobsen was intrigued by artists such as Fra Angelico and Andrea del Castagno\u2019s positioning of the skull of Adam at the foot of the cross in their paintings. Tradition has it that Adam\u2019s remains were buried at Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion. The rich symbolism may be interpreted as that of redemption and salvation of humanity. Although deeply inspired by these early masters and the embedded and often subtle symbolism that dominates their work, Jacobsen contends that, \u201cMy work has evolved naturally, I\u2019ve kept a certain momentum and am drawn to and inspired by many types of art including modern art and folk-art.\u201d<\/p>\n