Bio

A group of seven people, some seated and some standing, are gathered in an art atelier. They are focused on a canvas while sunlight streams through a large arched window, reminiscent of a Minnesota morning. Art supplies and sculptures are scattered throughout the room.
A group of seven people, some seated and some standing, are gathered in an art atelier. They are focused on a canvas while sunlight streams through a large arched window, reminiscent of a Minnesota morning. Art supplies and sculptures are scattered throughout the room.
Rueben’s Project 56″x56″, © Jeffrey T. Larson 2021

Jeffrey T. Larson (1962) was born in Two Harbors, MN and raised in the Minneapolis, MN area. Between 1980 and 1984, he studied under Richard Lack (1928-2009) at the prestigious Atelier Lack also located in Minneapolis. At this time the Atelier was one of the very few studio programs still existing in the world whose traditions and training methods reach back through Impressionism to the 18th-century French Academies.  He deepened his knowledge in anatomical studies at the University of Minnesota, bronze casting and finishing at private foundries through years of personal studies in museums across both America and abroad.

Jeffrey and his wife, Heidi met when he was head instructor and assistant director (1984-1986) at Atelier LeSuere. Since then, he has painted professionally full-time. 

In 1990, they bought and renovated an old school in northern Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Superior where they lived, worked and raised a family.

His work has won numerous first-place awards in both national and international fine art competitions, including: the Grand Draper Prize by the Portrait Society of America, 

Art Renewal’s Center International Salon, and the Artist’s Magazine. 

He has had over 20 one-man exhibitions in multiple galleries throughout the nation. He’s placed more than 750 works in private and public collections. In 2016, the Tweed Museum of Art exhibited his work with a 25 year retrospective.
In 2016 he and his wife purchased a historic old stone church in Duluth, MN and, along with their son Brock, renovated it and founded the Great Lakes Atelier of Fine Art, (GLAFA).

In 2017, British filmmaker Joe Hawkins, in conjunction with East Oaks Studio, created an hour-long, Catalyst Award winning documentary featuring Jeffrey’s life and artistic journey.

Awards, Honors and Publications

2024 – Portrait Society of America:  William F. Draper Grand Prize- “King Hall”

2022 – “The Oil Painter’s Color Handbook” Todd M. Casey

2017 – “Jeffrey T. Larson: Documentary” A Joe Hawkins Film, Catalyst Film Festival Award Winner.

2017 – Art Renewals Center, International Salon Competition; First Place- Figure: “Laundry” 

2013 – The Artist Magazine, National Competition; First Place- Still Life: “In the Light of Life”

2012 – The Artist magazine, National Competition; First Place- Still Life: “Bread Rack”

2009 – The Artist Magazine, Cover, November Issue

2009 – The Artist Magazine, National Competition; First Place- landscape: “Blue Marsh”

2009 – Art Renewals Center, International Salon Competition; First & Third Place Still Life: “Reflections” & “Electrolux.”

2008 – The Artist Magazine, National Competition; First Place- Still Life: “Electrolux”

2008 – The Individualist, May Issue, “The Artist, Jeff Larson’s Radical Perceptions”

2007 – Susan K. Black Foundation, Art of Flowers Award- Best Miniature: “Dandelion Bouquet”

2004 – American Artist Magazine, Cover, February Issue

2001  Classical Realism Journal, Vol. VI Issue 2: “Focus on Excellence”

2000 – PBS Venture North Show

2000 – National Diabetes Association, Featured Artist

Art Education

1988 – Minnesota private foundries (bronze casting and finishing)

1987 – Began years of Museum study in America and abroad

1983 – University of Minnesota, study of human anatomy

1980-1984 Atelier Lack, Minneapolis

Teaching Experience

2016-present – Director and cofounder of the Great Lakes Atelier of Fine Art, Duluth, MN

2010-2015 – Visiting Instructor

1995-present – Seminars and lectures on different aspects of oil painting

1986 – University of Minnesota, taught traditional oil painting techniques

1984-1986 – Assistant Director and Head Instructor of the Atelier LeSuere, Excelsior, MN

1983-1985 – Instructor of the Atelier Lack, Minneapolis, MN

Galleries: Past and Present

Salmagundi Club, NY.NY. 

Cavalier Gallery, NY.NY.

Maxwell Alexander, Los Angeles,CA.

Brennon Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA. & Santa Fe, NM.

Collins Galley, Orleans, Cape Cod, MA.

Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, NY.NY.

Arcadia Gallery, NY.NY.

Tree’s Place Gallery, Orleans, Cape Cod, MA.

Trailside Americana, Scottsdale, AZ.

MN. River Gallery, Burnsville, MN.

Christines of Santa Fe, NM.

Heritage Art Gallery, Alexandria, VA.

Meadow Creek Gallery, Edina, MN.

The Beard Gallery, Mpls. MN.

Exhibitions

2024 – New Salem Museum of Art, New Salem, MA., acquired “King Hall” for its permanent collection.

2024 – Portrait Society of America, Atlanta, GA., Top twenty exhibit. Awarded the William F. Draper Grand Prize for the portrait “King Hall.”

2024 – Salmagundi Club, NY.NY.,  Third Annual Hartley Invitational

2024 – Salmagundi Club, NY.NY.,  “face to Face” Exhibition

2023 – Keeneland/Cross Gate Gallery, Lexington, KY. “The Sporting Auction”

2023 – Salmagundi Club, NY.NY.,  Second Annual Hartley Invitational

2022 – Keeneland/Cross Gate Gallery, Lexington, KY., “The Sporting Auction”

2020 – Collins Gallery, Cape Cod, MA., Two-Man Exhibition

2019 – Maxwell Alexander Gallery, LA., CA.  “Small Works Show”

2019 – Coors Western Art Exhibit, Denver, CO.

2017 – Art Renewals Center Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, NY.NY., & MEAM: the European Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona, Spain.

2017 – Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, MN., acquired “Kenmore” for its permanent collection

2016 – Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, MN., Jeffrey T. Larson: “Domestic Space” Twenty-Five year retrospective.

2015 – Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI.,  “Birds in Art”

2012 – Tree’s Place, Cape Cod, MA., Three-Man Exhibition

2012 – Galleria, Edina, MN.,  One-Man Exhibition

2011 – ACOPAL: American China Oil Painting Artists League, Traveling Exhibition: The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH., & the World Art Museum in Beijing, China. 

2011 – Tree’s Place, Cape Cod, MA., One-Man Exhibition

2010 – Galleria, Edina, MN., One-Man Exhibition

2010 – Tree’s Place, Cape Cod, MA.,  One- Man Exhibition

2009 – Tree’s Place, Cape Cod, MA.,  Two-Man Exhibition “Following the Artistic Conscience”

2008 – Boston International Fine Art Show, Tree’s Place, Boston, MA.

2008 – Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, NY.NY., Still Life Exhibition

2008 – Tree’s Place, Cape Cod, MA.,  One-Man Exhibition

2007 – Boston International Fine Art Show, Tree’s Place, Boston, MA.

2007 – Tree’s Place, Cape Cod, MA., Small Works Exhibit

2007 – Galleria, Edina, MN.,  One-Man Exhibition

2006 – Arcadia Gallery, NY.NY.,  Small Works Exhibit

2006 – American Fine Art Show, Arcadia Gallery, Philadelphia, PA.

2006 – Tree’s Place, Cape Cod, MA. 

2005 – Galleria, Edina, MN.,  One-Man Exhibition

2005 – American Fine Art Show, Arcadia Gallery, Philadelphia, PA.

2005 – Art Miami, Arcadia Gallery

2004 – American Fine Art Show, Arcadia Gallery, Philadelphia, PA.

2003 – Wayzata, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

2001 – Meadow Creek Gallery, Edina, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

2000 – Meadow Creek Gallery, Edina, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

1999 – Meadow Creek Gallery, Edina, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

1998 – Meadow Creek Gallery, Edina, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

1997 – Meadow Creek Gallery, Edina, MN.  One-man Exhibition

1997 – Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, FL.  One-Man Exhibition

1996 – Meadow Creek Gallery, Edina, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

1995 – Minnesota River Gallery, Burnsville, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

1994 – Minnesota River Gallery, Burnsville, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

1993 – Wayzata, MN.  One-Man Exhibition

1991 – Tokyo, Japan & Guam, Traveling Group Show

1989 – Fullerton Estate, Wayzata, MN.  Two-Man Exhibition

1988 – Fullerton Estate, Wayzata, MN.  Two-Man Exhibition