Jack's Galleries

JACK SABON's work fits no particular personal style or easily recognizable "trademark"; it is as eclectic as his interests. He graduated from the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which has produced some of the best Indian artists of our time. Although he is an Athabascan Indian (Alaska Native), he does not fall into the catagory of "Indian artist" as his subject matter is not strictly native-influenced. Certainly, some of his works reflect the northwestern sensibilities and values of Alaskan art, but they are seldom traditional in style. Some of his finest abstractions are heavily influenced by Alaskan folklore, but bear the stamp of the 21st century in which they are created. Other pieces are mystical in nature, reflecting the spirituality and power of tribal shamans.

At the same time, his training at the European-influenced Maine College of Art, where he obtained his BFA, is evident in his landscapes and seascapes with their traditional color theory and a ground in realism/impressionism. This work comprises fully a third of his output, as his love of the sea feeds the work he does on the coast of Maine.

Finally, his abstract work is based on a strong color sense with what are often disciplined outlines of amorphous shapes and designs. These works are often "seen" as completed works in his mind and literally flow onto the canvas.

Sabon's works are primarily oil on canvas; occasionally oil on masonite or board. Very rarely does he work in acrylics, although he sometimes uses them for field studies for ease in transportation.

Sculpture is a secondary love of Sabon, whose output is limited due to the time spent on painting. Nevertheless, when time permits, he works in alabaster, granite or marble, creating modern figures based on Athabascan folk lore.