George Jacobi

Some Old Friends, the July August show at the Top Shelf Gallery, will feature graphite pencil drawings and photo collages by George Jacobi. One suite of the finely detailed drawings shows scenes of Hampton's own Trail Wood, while several photo collages are from his Elemental Psychology series. There is an artist's reception on July 15 at 3 p.m. Music will be provided by Mark and Beverly Davis.

Together the drawings and photo collages reflect not only Jacobi's artistic interests but an abiding concern with the environment and politics. These date back to his time at UConn as an English major, who graduated "in 1971 with a double minor of art and antiwar protest."

Settling in the area, Jacobi earned his living for many years as a fishing tackle sales rep, while writing for fly fishing magazines, tying flies, and, as he says, "spending too much time standing in rivers."

On dry land, he has been a volunteer at Grand Canyon National Park where he wrote a biweekly blog for the park as part of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. Nearer home, he has been a conservation property steward for Joshua's Trust and writes a monthly nature/philosophy blog for the organization.

The turn of the century saw Jacobi refocus on his artistic pursuits. He had the idea to slice two of his own photos into vertical and horizontal strips and weave them together. This led to further photo collages and experimental techniques.

The more traditional Trail Wood drawings, Jacobi says, "represent my ongoing respect and affinity with the Pulitzer Prize winning nature writer, Edwin Way Teale." Many years of hiking the paths of Teale's old farm and reading and rereading his two books about the native flora and fauna of the place have had a profound impact on both Jacobi's life and art.

"As I began serious pencil work again," he says, "inspiration winked at me from many locations in Trail Wood, and I felt the presence of Edwin and Nellie looking over my shoulder.' He adds that he seeks an Òart that revolves around the natural world and humanity's conflicted relationship to it."

Jacobi participated in group exhibitions in Chelsea, has had many solo shows, including at the D'Amour Museum of Art in Springfield, and won prizes in local venues like the Slater Museum. A curator as well, he has produced local art exhibits at the Lily Pad and at ECSU's Akus Gallery as well as "Dayglo and Napalm," a 2019 Dodd Center exhibit at UConn on the tumultuous late sixties.

The Top Shelf Gallery is at Fletcher Memorial Library, 257 Main Street, Hampton. Info at 860-455-1086.