Jack H. Breslow (American Artist, (1927 -2023)
https://dbreslow.artspan.com/home
Contact: David Breslow
[email protected]
Chicago
Illinois, 60640
United States
Phone: 773-790-7698
JHB-HCV/0055
HCV-Stems & Rock, Untitled
2000's
22x30
Ink & Pen
HCV-Stems & Rock, Untitled
2000's
22x30
Ink & Pen
JHB-HCV/0063
HCV-Stems & Rock, Untitled
2000's
22x30
Ink & Pen
HCV-Stems & Rock, Untitled
2000's
22x30
Ink & Pen
JHB-Pro/0021
Pro, Untitled
1960's
14.5x17
Pencil
Pro, Untitled
1960's
14.5x17
Pencil
JHB-Pro/0022
Pro, Untitled
1960's
13.75x18
Pen & Ink
Pro, Untitled
1960's
13.75x18
Pen & Ink
Jack H. Breslow was born in New York in 1927 and raised in the Bronx. His father Max was solely instrumental in his early pursuits by encouraging him to follow his love of art by attending the High School of Music and Art in NYC. After completing his military service in the Army Air Corp, Breslow was formally trained in the Academy Julien in Paris, France as well as at the Art Students League in New York City.
Notable instructors at the Art Students League included painter, illustrator, and muralist Frank J. Reilly (1906–1967) and illustrator and painter Jack Faragasso (b.1929). Breslow received the Frank J. Reilly Drawing Award for the year 1949-50 at the Art Students League. Breslow was a successful studio artist producing illustrations to science fiction books including those of Andre Norton (1974-79); James Blish’s, book Star Trek 7 (1971); Arthur K. Barnes’ book Interplanetary Hunter (1972); Larry Eisenberg’s book, The Best Laid Schemes (1973); Philip K. Dick’s book, Eye in the Sky (1975) and more.
He also created various ad campaigns, movie posters, and covers for magazines. His painting of singer James Taylor, that was featured on the cover of Time magazine on March 1 st 1971, is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Breslow’s James Taylor cover was selected by Time magazine to the 25 Classic TIME Music Covers. Another painting at the collection of the National Portrait Gallery is Breslow’s Jimmy Carter portrait which was featured on the cover of the Time magazine on May 31, 1971. Breslow’s work took him from NYC to Montreal, Detroit, Chicago and back to New York where he lived for more than 50 years.
In addition to his commissioned art, by the encouragement of his wife Beverly Rae, Breslow launched on a purposeful artistic journey that lasted until 2008.
Notable instructors at the Art Students League included painter, illustrator, and muralist Frank J. Reilly (1906–1967) and illustrator and painter Jack Faragasso (b.1929). Breslow received the Frank J. Reilly Drawing Award for the year 1949-50 at the Art Students League. Breslow was a successful studio artist producing illustrations to science fiction books including those of Andre Norton (1974-79); James Blish’s, book Star Trek 7 (1971); Arthur K. Barnes’ book Interplanetary Hunter (1972); Larry Eisenberg’s book, The Best Laid Schemes (1973); Philip K. Dick’s book, Eye in the Sky (1975) and more.
He also created various ad campaigns, movie posters, and covers for magazines. His painting of singer James Taylor, that was featured on the cover of Time magazine on March 1 st 1971, is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Breslow’s James Taylor cover was selected by Time magazine to the 25 Classic TIME Music Covers. Another painting at the collection of the National Portrait Gallery is Breslow’s Jimmy Carter portrait which was featured on the cover of the Time magazine on May 31, 1971. Breslow’s work took him from NYC to Montreal, Detroit, Chicago and back to New York where he lived for more than 50 years.
In addition to his commissioned art, by the encouragement of his wife Beverly Rae, Breslow launched on a purposeful artistic journey that lasted until 2008.
JHB-Pro/0014
Pro, Untitled
1960's
7.375x10.5
Pen & Ink
Pro, Untitled
1960's
7.375x10.5
Pen & Ink
JHB-B&G/0024
B&G Small, Untitled
1960's
7.5x6.25
Ink & Wash
B&G Small, Untitled
1960's
7.5x6.25
Ink & Wash
His work is separated into phases, some were concise periods of time while others started, stopped and started again years later. The phases are both distinct and yet have overlapping themes depicting concentrated landscapes. The visual language was created with subtle influences from the work of American muralist, illustrator, and painter Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911), particularly Abby’s illustrations for The Quiet Life. Greater influences came from his extensive time exploring, hiking, and observing nature.
Locations of inspiration included the Haystacks in Olympic National Park, Shades State Park in western Indiana, and decades of trips to the bays, inlets, and coves of Maine's east coast, north of Portland. His work and personal world were also shaped by his love of reading classical books on history, art, language and music.
Life in New York City enriched Breslow’s intellectual substance provided by book stores, museums and endless walks through Central Park. In contrast, his quiet home life was a refuge. Anecdotally, Breslow never owned a television, cell phone, or computer.
Breslow’s work depicts an intense focus on negative space shaping the positive image, pronounced light sources, and a distinct drawing language. The vignettes range from small nature groupings of leaves, branches, rocks and twigs, to large scale scenes exceeding ten feet in length. One of his more dramatic series of work consists of black and white ink and wash paintings composed of botanical elements and expressive rocks.
These metaphysical images enabled Breslow to echo his fascination to science fiction without super heroes or any human figures. Several of the metaphysical images are in the collection of the Koehnline Museum of Art, Oakton College, Des Plaines, Illinois. As Breslow’s work progressed stylistically, his images became more curated by removing all visual distractions and moving the viewer’s eye to a specific and isolated place in time.
These frame captures are succinct, deliberate and are supported by the intense technique demonstrated thru out his journey as an artist.
Locations of inspiration included the Haystacks in Olympic National Park, Shades State Park in western Indiana, and decades of trips to the bays, inlets, and coves of Maine's east coast, north of Portland. His work and personal world were also shaped by his love of reading classical books on history, art, language and music.
Life in New York City enriched Breslow’s intellectual substance provided by book stores, museums and endless walks through Central Park. In contrast, his quiet home life was a refuge. Anecdotally, Breslow never owned a television, cell phone, or computer.
Breslow’s work depicts an intense focus on negative space shaping the positive image, pronounced light sources, and a distinct drawing language. The vignettes range from small nature groupings of leaves, branches, rocks and twigs, to large scale scenes exceeding ten feet in length. One of his more dramatic series of work consists of black and white ink and wash paintings composed of botanical elements and expressive rocks.
These metaphysical images enabled Breslow to echo his fascination to science fiction without super heroes or any human figures. Several of the metaphysical images are in the collection of the Koehnline Museum of Art, Oakton College, Des Plaines, Illinois. As Breslow’s work progressed stylistically, his images became more curated by removing all visual distractions and moving the viewer’s eye to a specific and isolated place in time.
These frame captures are succinct, deliberate and are supported by the intense technique demonstrated thru out his journey as an artist.
JHB-B&G/0023
B&G Small, Untitled
1960's
4.75x8
Ink & Wash
B&G Small, Untitled
1960's
4.75x8
Ink & Wash
JHB-HCV/0001
HCV-Branches & Leaves, Untitled
1990's
24.5x19.5
Ink & Wash
HCV-Branches & Leaves, Untitled
1990's
24.5x19.5
Ink & Wash
JHB-Plates/0009
Plates, Untitled
1970's
12x13
Pen & Ink
Plates, Untitled
1970's
12x13
Pen & Ink
JHB-Plates/0022
Plates, Untitled
1970's
7x14
Pen & Ink
Plates, Untitled
1970's
7x14
Pen & Ink
JHB-Plates/0020
Plates, Untitled
1970's
8x14
Pen & Ink
Plates, Untitled
1970's
8x14
Pen & Ink
JHB-HCV/0005
HCV-Branches & Leaves, Untitled
1990's
22x30
Ink & Wash
HCV-Branches & Leaves, Untitled
1990's
22x30
Ink & Wash
Exhibitions
Hunterdon Art Center Group Show, Hunterdon, NJ (1977)
Audubon Artists Group Show, New York, NY (1978)
Ball State University, Muncie, IN (1978)
Knickerbocker Artists Group Show, New York, NY
Art Center of Northern New Jersey Solo Show, Tenafly NJ (1981)
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Solo Show, New York, NY (1984)
Book cover illustrations
Philip K. Dick, The Game Players of Titan (1972)
Bob Shaw, Other Days, Other Eyes (1972)
James Blish, Star Trek 7 (1972)
Arthur K. Barnes, Interplanetary Hunter (1972) also appeared as:
Translation: Friedenskommissare der Galaxis [German] (1974)
Larry Eisenberg, The Best Laid Schemes (1973)
Jane Yolen (ed.), Zoo 2000 (1973) [only as by Jack Breslow]
Mack Reynolds, Looking Backward, from the Year 2000 (1973)
Andre Norton, Dragon Magic (1973)
Philip Jose Farmer, The Stone God Awakens (1973)
Gardner F. Fox, Conehead (1973)
Poul Anderson, War of the Wing-Men (1973)
Philip K. Dick, The Crack in Space (1974)
Roger Zelazny, Isle of the Dead (1974)
Andre Norton, Witch World (1974)
Andre Norton, Year of the Unicorn (1974)
Andre Norton, Warlock of the Witch World (1974)
Joanna Russ, Picnic on Paradise (1974)
Philip K. Dick, Eye in the Sky (1975)
Permanent Collections
Koehnline Museum of Art, Oakton College, Des Plaines, Illinois
Art Students League, Manhattan, New York
Hunterdon Art Center Group Show, Hunterdon, NJ (1977)
Audubon Artists Group Show, New York, NY (1978)
Ball State University, Muncie, IN (1978)
Knickerbocker Artists Group Show, New York, NY
Art Center of Northern New Jersey Solo Show, Tenafly NJ (1981)
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Solo Show, New York, NY (1984)
Book cover illustrations
Philip K. Dick, The Game Players of Titan (1972)
Bob Shaw, Other Days, Other Eyes (1972)
James Blish, Star Trek 7 (1972)
Arthur K. Barnes, Interplanetary Hunter (1972) also appeared as:
Translation: Friedenskommissare der Galaxis [German] (1974)
Larry Eisenberg, The Best Laid Schemes (1973)
Jane Yolen (ed.), Zoo 2000 (1973) [only as by Jack Breslow]
Mack Reynolds, Looking Backward, from the Year 2000 (1973)
Andre Norton, Dragon Magic (1973)
Philip Jose Farmer, The Stone God Awakens (1973)
Gardner F. Fox, Conehead (1973)
Poul Anderson, War of the Wing-Men (1973)
Philip K. Dick, The Crack in Space (1974)
Roger Zelazny, Isle of the Dead (1974)
Andre Norton, Witch World (1974)
Andre Norton, Year of the Unicorn (1974)
Andre Norton, Warlock of the Witch World (1974)
Joanna Russ, Picnic on Paradise (1974)
Philip K. Dick, Eye in the Sky (1975)
Permanent Collections
Koehnline Museum of Art, Oakton College, Des Plaines, Illinois
Art Students League, Manhattan, New York
JHB-Plates/0017
Plates, Untitled
1970's
19x6
Pen & Ink
Plates, Untitled
1970's
19x6
Pen & Ink
JHB-Plates/0018
Plates, Untitled
1970's
13x8
Ink & Pen
Plates, Untitled
1970's
13x8
Ink & Pen
