American Realist James Torlakson depicts majesty in the mundane with everyday “Americana” scenes that include gritty suburban landscapes, traveling carnivals, standing fireworks booths, abandoned drive-in theaters, and autobiographical still life scenes from his Bay Area neighborhood.

The realism in Torlakson’s work is oriented toward the sensuous consumption and reinterpretation of the real world. The artist is not interested in how closely he can mimic physical images in paint, but rather in how he can change and distort them to suit his personal aesthetic.

Proficiently working in oil, watercolor, and aquatint intaglio etching, the artist employs European master techniques to create his compelling photorealistic works that pull the viewer in, much like the effect of the solo light on his neighborhood street at dusk.

James Torlakson’s paintings and etchings have been widely exhibited both nationally and internationally, and many of his works are housed in the permanent collections of American museums.

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS:

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; San Francisco, CA

Oakland Museum of California; Oakland, CA

Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, California Palace of the Legion of Honor; San Francisco, CA

Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn, NY

Albright Knox Art Gallery; Buffalo, NY

Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute; Pittsburgh, PA

Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design; Providence, RI

New York Public Library, Print Collection; New York, NY

Chicago Art Institute; Chicago, IL

Library of Congress; Washington, D.C.

Delaware Art Museum; Wilmington, DE

Denver Art Museum; Denver, CO

Santa Barbara Museum of Art; Santa Barbara, CA

Detroit Art Institute; Detroit, MI

Stanford University Museum of Art; Stanford, CA

University Art Museum, Rutgers University; New Jersey, NJ

De Cordova Museum; Lincoln, MA

Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick, NJ

Boise Art Museum; Boise, ID

University Art Museum; U.C. Berkeley; Berkeley, CA

Arkansas Art Center; Little Rock, Arkansas

Hearst Art Gallery; Saint Mary’s College; Moraga, CA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2017 CITY ARTS GALLERY, City College of San Francisco, CA

2013 OCEANA ART GALERY, Pacifica, CA

2012 SFMOMA ARTIST GALLERY, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA

2011 OLIVER HYDE ARTGALLERY, Freemont, CA

2004 DISTRICT ARTS GALLERY, Birmingham, MI

2001 33 GOUGH STREET SHOWCASE, San Francisco, CA

2000 POWELL STREET GALLERY, San Francisco, Ca

1999 CITY ARTS GALLERY, City College of San Francisco, CA

1999 SANCHEZ ART CENTER; Pacifica, CA

1997 FOG CITY JAVA; Pacifica, CA (funded by grant from Philanthropic Ventures Foundation)

1997 SAN MATEO COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM, San Mateo, CA

1996 ERIKSEN GALLERY, Half Moon Bay, CA

1994 ART FORMS UNLIMITED; Pacifica, CA

1993 HORVATH GALLERY; Sacramento, CA

1992 CUDAHY’S GALLERY; New York, NY

1991 JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

1988 JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY; San Francisco, C

1987 CONCEPT ART GALLERY; Pittsburgh, PA

1986 JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

1984 DUBINS GALLERY; Los Angeles, CA

1983 GRAPHICS 1 and GRAPHICS 2; Boston, MA

1983 JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

1982 MUSEUM OF ART, CARNEGIE INSTITUTE; Pittsburgh, PA

1981 GELTER / PALL; New York, NY

1980 GRAPHICS 1 and GRAPHICS 2; Boston, MA

1980 JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

1980 RICHMOND ART CENTER; Richmond, CA

1979 SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART; San Jose, CA

1978 VAN STRAATEN GALLERY; Chicago, IL

1978 JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

1977 GALERIE JURKA; Amsterdam, NL

1976 ACHENBACH FOUNDATION FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS, CALIFORNIA PALACE

OF THE LEGION OF HONOR; San Francisco, CA

1975 CONTEMPORARY GRAPHICS CENTER, SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART; CA

1975 NANCY HOFFMAN GALLERY; New York, NY

1974 JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

1973 GUMP’S GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

1972 REISINGER GALLERIES; San Francisco, CA

1972 ALMOND ROD GALLERY; San Francisco, CA

EXHIBITION RECORDS

2011

Open Road (3 person exhibition) Oliver Hyde Art Gallery, Fremont, CA

Annual Faculty Shows 2010; City Arts Gallery, C.C.S.F.; San Francisco, CA

2010

CCA Alumni Exhibition; Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica CA

Annual Faculty Shows 2010; City Arts Gallery, C.C.S.F.; San Francisco, CA

Ralph Borge A Symbolic Realist and His Circle, Hearst Art Gallery, S.M.C., Moraga, CA

American Art and Culture: Past and Present, De Young Museum, San Francisco, California

2000-2009

Annual Faculty Shows 2000-2009; City Arts Gallery, C.C.S.F.; San Francisco, CA

Comix/Cartoons Show; Rosenberg Library, C.C.S.F.; San Francisco, CA

Creative Roots; Rosenberg Library, C.C.S.F.; San Francisco, CA

1999

Watercolor: City Arts Gallery; City College of San Francisco; San Francisco, California

Spirit of the Coast; Impact Zone Productions; Cotanoa Lodge; Pescadero, California

Millennium: City Arts Gallery; City College of San Francisco; San Francisco, California

1998

10: San Francisco State University Art Alumni; Sanchez Art Center Gallery; Pacifica, California

1996

Art From The Driver’s Seat: Americans and Their Cars: Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Kalamazoo,

Michigan

Art From The Driver’s Seat: Americans and Their Cars: Hudson River Museum; Yonkers, New York

Seventh Annual - All Creatures Great and Small: John Natsoulas Gallery; Davis, California

Surf’s Up: Bolinas Museum; Bolinas, California

1995

Art From The Driver’s Seat: Americans and Their Cars: Boise Art Museum; Boise, Idaho

Art From The Driver’s Seat: Americans and Their Cars: Tarble Arts Center, Eastern Illinois State

University: Charleston, Illinois

Faculty Exhibition: Skyline College; San Bruno, California

Henrik Ibsen Park (private three person exhibition): Kings Mountain; Woodside, California

1994

Group Exhibition: Magidson Gallery; New York NY

Group Exhibition: Art Forms Unlimited; Pacifica CA

1993

American Paintings: Museum of Our National Heritage; Lexington MA

1992

New Horizons in American Realism: Knoxville Museum of Art; Knoxville TN

Local Landscape: PacTel Corporation; Walnut Creek CA

Oakland: Oakland Museum Collector’s Gallery; Oakland CA

Artists of Skyline College: Peninsula Art Association; Belmont CA

Summer Show: Cudahy’s Fine Art Gallery; New York NY

1991

New Horizons in American Realism: Flint Institute of Arts; Flint , Michigan and Philharmonic

Center for the Arts; Naples, Florida

Selections from the Permanent Collection: Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, California

Palace of the Legion of Honor; San Francisco CA

Large Scale Works on Paper: John Berggruen Gallery; San Francisco CA

Summer Show: Cudahy’s Fine Art Gallery; New York NY

1990

Group Show: Cudahy’s Fine Art Gallery; New York NY

Contemporary Realist Painting: Perception and Experience: Oliver Art Center, California College of Arts and Crafts; Oakland CA

Concord Collectors: Walnut Creek Art Center; Walnut Creek CA

College of San Mateo Faculty Art Exhibition: San Mateo County Arts Council; San Mateo CA

1989

Collector’s Choice - Contemporary Paintings and Drawings from the Collection of Ron and Cherie Petersen: Pence Gallery; Davis CA

Capitol a’la cARTe (food images): State Capitol Building (presented by Natsoulas / Novelozo Gallery); Sacramento CA

Faculty Art Exhibition: Skyline College; San Bruno CA

1988

Waterworks (three artists): Sierra Nevada Museum of Art; Reno, Nevada

Torlakson Watercolors and Prints: Natsoulas / Novelozo Gallery; Davis CA

Torlakson Prints: Wenniger Graphics; Boston MA

Billboards: Littlejohn - Smith Gallery; New York NY

1987

Realism: Art Museum of Santa Cruz County; Santa Cruz CA

Drawings By Contemporary Masters: Himovitz - Jensen Gallery; Sacramento CA

Two Realists: Concept Art Gallery; Pittsburgh PA

31st National Print Exhibition: Hunterdon Art Center; Clinton NJ

Parkside National Small Print Exhibition: Communication Arts Gallery; Kenosha WI

Mainstream America: The Collection of Phil Desind: The Butler Institute of American ART;

Youngstown OH

Prints In Motion: Associated American Artists; New York NY

1986

James Torlakson, Watercolors and Graphics: Bechtel International Center, Stanford University;

Palo Alto CA

1985

The 20th Century: The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Collection: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; San Francisco CA

American Realism: Twentieth - Century Drawings and Watercolors: San Francisco Museum of

Modern Art; San Francisco CA

1984

Recent Acquisitions: Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, California Palace of the Legion of Honor; San Francisco CA

The Twenty - Third National Print Exhibition: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

1983

Gene Baro Collects: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

West Coast Realism: Laguna Beach Museum of Art; Laguna Beach CA

The American Artist as Printmaker, 23rd National Print Exhibition: The Brooklyn Museum;

Brooklyn NY

Contemporary American Realism, since 1960: Chicago Art Institute; Chicago IL

1982

Contemporary American Realism, since 1960: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts; Philadelphia PA and The Oakland Museum; Oakland CA

Perspectives on Contemporary American Realism; Works of Art on Paper from the Collection of

Jalane and Richard Davidson: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; Philadelphia PA

1981

Twenty - Second National Print Exhibition: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

100 New Acquisitions: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

Recent Acquisitions in Prints and Drawings: Rhode Island School of Design; Providence RI

1980

Realism: Civics Arts Gallery; Walnut Creek CA

The Light Is Different In California: Pratt Manhattan Center Gallery; New York NY

American Drawings In Black and White: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

1979

Recent Acquisitions: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

Recent Acquisitions: Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, California Palace of the Legion of Honor; San Francisco CA

Recent Acquisitions: The Oakland Museum; Oakland CA

VX International Soa Paulo Biennial, courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum and the International Communications Agency; Washington D. C. This exhibition traveled throughout Latin America.

1978

Eight West Coast Printmakers: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

Leading Realists and Current Abstract Art: Madison Gallery; Madison NJ

1977

Prints of the 1970’s: Museum of Fine Arts; Boston MA

1976

20th Annual Brooklyn Museum Print Exhibition: The Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn NY

Contemporary Images in Watercolors: Akron Art Institute; Akron OH

1975

Permanent Collection: Recent Graphic Acquisitions: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art;

San Francisco CA

Photography and Hyper-Realism: M. Knoedler & Company; New York NY

Realist Painting in California: John Berggruen Gallery; San Francisco CA

California Graphics Exhibition: Three Dimensions Gallery; Berkeley CA and Printmakers Council

of Great Britain; London, England

Hyper-Realism: Liliane Francois Galerie; Paris, France

1974

Selections in Contemporary Realism: Akron Art Institute; Akron OH

Fourth British International Print Biennial: Bradford Art Galleries and Museums; Yorkshire,

England

Works on Paper: Virginia Museum of Art; VA

Variations on the Camera’s Eye: Smithsonian Institute; Washington D.C. and Occidental College; CA; Traveling Exhibition - South America

Three Printmakers Who Work From Watercolors: The Oakland Museum; Oakland CA

1973

Young Talent: John Berggruen Gallery; San Francisco CA

AWARDS and HONORS

32 Purchase Awards from competitive exhibitions of prints, drawings, and paintings—including $5,000 award for purchase of a canvas - Behind Mc’Cann’s Garage - by the San Francisco International Airport

Full size Billboard shown in various Bay Area locations depicting my art work — part of a 1981 promotion for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Poster Commissions (design & illustration) 1984: 38th Annual San Francisco Arts Festival

1994: Pacific Coast Fog Festival, Pacifica CA

Television Programs (about James Torlakson and his art work)

1977: KQED, San Francisco

1986: Channel 8, Pacifica CA

1994: Channel 8, Pacifica CA

2002: PCTI, Pacifica, CA

Structures: Buildings in American Art 1900 - 1997; John Berggruen Gallery; San Francisco, California

Artist's Statement

The realism in my work is oriented toward the sensuous consumption and reinterpretation of the world I see. I am not interested in how closely I can mimic physical images in paint, but rather in how I can change and distort them to suit my personal aesthetic. When I paint an image, I break it down in my mind and put it back together in the second dimension as if it were a puzzle. The pieces of the puzzle are the compositional elements of shape, texture, light, value, hue, line, etc. If the elements are assembled harmoniously, the painting will function well as both an abstract composition and a realistic image.

I have been working as a professional fine artist since 1971. My realist oils, watercolors, aquatint etchings, and drawings have been widely exhibited nationally and internationally. Many of my artworks are housed in the permanent collections of American Museums.

I am best known for my photo-based realism, though working from life is still an active part of my creative process. My imagery has centered on “everyday” America; shifting over the years from trucks, to railways, to amusement parks, to waterfronts, to fireworks booths, to deserted drive-in theatres, to coastal landscapes. Through these shifts in subject matter, related architecture has been a steadily repeated motif.