# James Torlakson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Torlakson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Torlakson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Torlakson > Source revision: 1327483143 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American artist (born 1951)}} {{Infobox person | name = James Torlakson | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|02|19}} | birth_place = [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco), California, United States | education = [California College of the Arts](/source/California_College_of_the_Arts) (BA), [San Francisco State University](/source/San_Francisco_State_University) (MFA) | occupation = Visual artist, educator | known_for = Printmaking, painting | relatives = [Tom Torlakson](/source/Tom_Torlakson) (brother) }} '''James''' "'''Jim'''" '''Daniel Torlakson''' (born February 19, 1951) is an American visual artist and educator, known for his photorealist oil paintings, watercolors and [aquatint](/source/aquatint) [intaglio prints](/source/Intaglio_(printmaking)). He is based in [Pacifica, California](/source/Pacifica%2C_California), a coastal city near San Francisco. ==Early life and family== James Daniel Torlakson was born in [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco), [California](/source/California) on February 19, 1951. His brother is American politician [Tom Torlakson](/source/Tom_Torlakson). Growing up in the [Westlake](/source/Westlake%2C_Daly_City%2C_California) neighborhood of [Daly City](/source/Daly_City%2C_California), Torlakson moved to [Pacifica](/source/Pacifica%2C_California) in 1971 where he has lived since becoming a professional artist. He started drawing at an early age, encouraged by his parents, who entered a drawing of his in the ''[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle)'' "Daily Junior Art Champion" when he was six years old; he was awarded first prize. He was also inspired by artist [George Post](/source/George_Post_(painter)), a Californian watercolor painter, who was his grandparents' neighbor in [Oakland, California](/source/Oakland%2C_California).{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} Torlakson studied general fine arts and received a B.F.A. degree in 1971 from the [California College of the Arts](/source/California_College_of_the_Arts),{{Cite news|url=https://issuu.com/californiacollegeofthearts/docs/glance-spring-2004/29|title=Glance Spring 2004|date=2004|work=issuu|accessdate=2017-06-10|publisher=California College of the Arts|language=en}} before completing a [Masters of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts) degree in 1975 at [San Francisco State University](/source/San_Francisco_State_University).{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.sfsu.edu/archive/fall_09/notes|title=Follow the Creative Sparks|website=SF State Magazine|language=en|accessdate=2017-06-10|archive-date=2018-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130175328/http://magazine.sfsu.edu/archive/fall_09/notes|url-status=dead}} His daughter Elizabeth died at age 21, after walking into a [BART](/source/BART) tunnel in 2004.{{Cite book |last=Hunter |first=Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P_JYAgAAQBAJ |title=Legendary Locals of Pacifica |date=2014-01-06 |publisher=[Arcadia Publishing](/source/Arcadia_Publishing) |isbn=978-1-4671-0098-4 |pages=37 |language=en |via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}}{{Cite news |last=Goodyear |first=Charlie |date=March 16, 2004 |title=California senator's niece found dead on BART tracks / Cause of death of Elizabeth Torlakson unknown |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SAN-FRANCISCO-California-senator-s-niece-found-2780079.php |access-date=2024-04-27 |work=[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle) |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Torlakson |first=Tom |date=September 20, 2004 |title=Risk of harm should outweigh use |url=https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/risk-of-harm-should-outweigh-use-2723901.php |access-date=2024-04-27 |work=[SFGate](/source/SFGate) |language=en}} ==Work== He was a professor of printmaking and visual art at [City College of San Francisco](/source/City_College_of_San_Francisco), from 1999 to 2017. Other teaching experience also includes [California College of the Arts](/source/California_College_of_the_Arts) and [Skyline College](/source/Skyline_College).{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} Torlakson’s [photorealism](/source/photorealism) imagery have centered on “every day” America, which includes images of trucks, railways, amusement parks, waterfronts, fireworks booths, deserted drive-in theaters and coastal landscapes.{{cite web |last=Bartlett |first=Jean |date=2012-08-21 |title=Artist James Torlakson's journey through the play of light; exhibit at SFMOMA Artists Gallery |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2012/08/21/artist-james-torlaksons-journey-through-the-play-of-light-exhibit-at-sfmoma-artists-gallery/ |accessdate=2017-06-09 |website=[The Mercury News](/source/The_Mercury_News) |publisher=Pacifica Tribune}} His oils, watercolors, [aquatint](/source/aquatint) etchings and drawings have been exhibited nationally since 1971 within United States and internationally.{{cite web|url=https://www.flysfo.com/museum/public-art-collection?nid=3328|publisher=flysfo.com|title=Public Art Collection | flysfo.com |accessdate=2017-06-09}} He has works housed in the collections of many American museums,{{cite web |title=James Torlakson |url=http://www.askart.com/artist/James_Daniel_Torlakson/101253/James_Daniel_Torlakson.aspx |accessdate=2017-06-09 |publisher=AskArt.com}} including the [San Francisco Museum of Modern Art](/source/San_Francisco_Museum_of_Modern_Art),{{cite web |title=James Torlakson, William Farley |url=https://www.sfmoma.org/event/james-torlakson-william-farley/ |accessdate=2017-06-09 |website=SFMoMA}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZeTTzM30AA|publisher=youtube.com|title=SFMOMA Artists Gallery - Work of James Torlakson and William Farley - YouTube|date=29 September 2013 |accessdate=2017-06-09}} the [Oakland Museum of California](/source/Oakland_Museum_of_California),{{Cite web |title=2006.23.1 James Torlakson, Rogue Equipment Sales |url=https://collections.museumca.org/?q=collection-item/2006231 |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=Oakland Museum of California}} the [Brooklyn Museum](/source/Brooklyn_Museum),{{cite web |title=Bondage, James Torlakson |url=https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/106622 |accessdate=2017-06-09 |website=[Brooklyn Museum](/source/Brooklyn_Museum) |publisher=}} [Rhode Island School of Design Museum](/source/Rhode_Island_School_of_Design_Museum);{{Cite web |title=Asleep at the Wheel |url=https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/asleep-wheel-80025 |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=RISD Museum}} [New York Public Library’s](/source/New_York_Public_Library) print collection,{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Donald E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kfxLAQAAIAAJ |title=American Printmakers of the Twentieth Century: A Bibliography |date=2004 |publisher=St. Johann Press |isbn=978-1-878282-28-6 |pages=328 |language=en |via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}} the [Art Institute of Chicago](/source/Art_Institute_of_Chicago),{{Cite web |title=James Daniel Torlakson |url=https://www.artic.edu/artists/42425/james-daniel-torlakson |website=Art Institute of Chicago|date=1951 }} [Carnegie Museum of Art](/source/Carnegie_Museum_of_Art), the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, [Library of Congress](/source/Library_of_Congress), [Denver Art Museum](/source/Denver_Art_Museum), and the [DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum](/source/DeCordova_Sculpture_Park_and_Museum).{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Torlakson, James}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American male artists Category:20th-century American painters Category:20th-century American printmakers Category:21st-century American male artists Category:21st-century American painters Category:21st-century American printmakers Category:American male painters Category:Artists from San Francisco Category:California College of the Arts alumni Category:California College of the Arts faculty Category:City College of San Francisco faculty Category:Painters from California Category:People from Pacifica, California Category:San Francisco State University alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James Torlakson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Torlakson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Torlakson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.