RP Jensen

R.P. began his art career painting wildlife scenes and selling them at the APCO gasoline station where he worked during high school. R.P. decided to major in art while attending Cameron College on a football scholarship. The Cameron art department, headed at the time by Jack Bryan, was housed in cool WPA cast concrete barns. While at Cameron, R.P. was introduced to printmaking by Dwight Pogue, now at Smith College. R.P. was a recipient of the McMahon Foundation art scholarship in 1973. He went on to receive his BFA from the University of Oklahoma. While there, he studied printmaking under the late Dan Kaicz. During that era, the O.U. School of Art was known for its avant-garde western art. Upon graduation in 1976, he worked as a cabinet maker. He returned to school in 1982 and received a MBA in marketing from Oklahoma City University. Following a stint as a marketing manager for a Fortune 500 company, he returned to small business and relocated to New Mexico. After several years absence from art, he bought his daughter an artist easel and paint set. It languished for a few months when he picked it up and painted a portrait of the family's two dogs. Unaware of her husbands talent, upon completion his wife exclaimed, 'It looks like them.' 'What did you expect?', was his reply. For the past several years, R.P. has participated in the Corrales Artists Studio Tour. His work is shown at the Standard Diner in downtown Albuquerque. Matt DiGregory, the owner has been very supportive of R. P. and his work. R.P.'s work has been exhibited at the Philbrooke Art Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, The Oklahoma Art Center and he has work in the State of Oklahoma permanent collection. Recent paintings are in private collections from Boston to San Francisco. His work is shown at the Range Cafe in Bernalillo, New Mexico and Casa Vieja in Corrales, New Mexico. Unfortunately, Casa Vieja is closed due to structural issues. Stay tuned for their new location.