09/08/2026
Today we celebrate the birthday of Nebraska artist Keith Jacobshagen, whose work has been shaped by a lifelong fascination with the Midwestern landscape.
Drawing from observation, memory, and imagination, Jacobshagen transforms familiar fields, skies, and changing light into atmospheric paintings. His distinctive approach to the Nebraska landscape has earned him national recognition and a place in the collections of major museums across the country.
“I wouldn’t be interested in (landscapes) if they were only documenting the landscape. The autobiography of my life goes into the painting, but it’s not necessarily there for people to read as they would read a book.”
Photo courtesy of Paula Day.
Keith Jacobshagen, “Crow Call (Near the River),” 1990-1991. Oil on canvas, 46 x 80 inches, Collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Keith Jacobshagen, “August Cicadas,” 1994. Oil on canvas, 18 x 46 inches, Collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Keith Jacobshagen, “Dog Days (Platte Valley),” 1989. Oil on linen, 44 x 100 inches, Collection of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
Keith Jacobshagen, “Six O’clock News, Farm Lights in Late November—Second Study,” c. 1993. Oil on paper, 8 x 28 inches, Collection of the Museum of Nebraska Art
Keith Jacobshagen, “By June the Light Begins to Breathe,” 1999-2000. Oil on canvas, Collection of the Denver Art Museum
Keith Jacobshagen, “Study for ‘Evening Emerald,’” 1986. Watercolor on paper, 19 x 25.5 inches, Collection of the Art Institute of Chicago
