Jim Jacobson was a Peace Corps volunteer in Guana, Africa, when he started carving



Jim Jacobson was a Peace Corps volunteer in Guana, Africa, when he started carving

A close look at the creative process

Caption: Ghana RPCV Jim Jacobson's 16-foot-tall obelisk stands in front of San Luis Obispo’s City Hall, offering a symbolic lesson on the history of transportation in the county.

The annual Open Studios Tour lets visitors see artists in the environments that inspire them

Patrick S. Pemberton

The Tribune

An artist’s studio is more than a place to store brushes. It’s a place to retreat during a stressful day, a place to pontificate about life and to create something pleasing to the eye.

For the next two weekends, it will also be a place to make some deals.

The San Luis Obispo County Arts Council’s sixth annual Open Studios Tour features more than 200 local artists. During the two-part tour, patrons will observe the artists in their element. Meanwhile, quality art will be exhibited for display and sale.

The studios range in geography from Ragged Point to Nipomo, while the media ranges from bead jewelry and mosaics to oil painting and clay.

Here’s a peek at some of the various artists working in different media.

[Excerpt]

Africa to San Luis Obispo

Jim Jacobson was a Peace Corps volunteer in Guana, Africa, when he started carving. Having been inspired by the natives, he created his first sculpture from bamboo.

“I’ve been in some 50 countries,” he said. “so that’s a lot of exposure to different arts.”

Today, he primarily creates stylized, abstract and modern metal sculptures. His 16-foot-tall obelisk, for instance, stands in front of San Luis Obispo’s City Hall, offering a symbolic lesson on the history of transportation in the county.

His studio in San Luis Obispo is a small refurbished garage and carport.

“I never have to reach too far for my next tool,” he said.

On the other hand, the studio barely contains some of his larger works, which can extend up to 25 feet in the air.

For many years, Jacobson worked in social services. But for the last seven years, he’s been doing art full time.

If you haven’t seen his public art, you might have seen some of the work at his home. Several pieces decorate his house and garden.

When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference. RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls. Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate. Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

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Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before. Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.

Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny?

Peace Corps: One of the Best Faces of America Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and can you come up with a Political Funny?

Read the stories and leave your comments.