James Torlakson

James Daniel Torlakson was born in San Francisco, California on February 19, 1951. His brother is American politician Tom Torlakson. Growing up in the Westlake neighborhood of Daly City, Torlakson moved to Pacifica in 1971 where he has lived since becoming a professional artist. He started drawing at an early age, encouraged by his parents, who entered a drawing of his in the San Francisco Chronicle "Daily Junior Art Champion" when he was six years old; he was awarded first prize. He was also inspired by artist George Post, a Californian watercolor painter, who was his grandparents' neighbor in Oakland, California.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

Torlakson studied general fine arts and received a B.F.A. degree in 1971 from the California College of the Arts,{{Cite news|url=https://issuu.com/californiacollegeofthearts/docs/glance-spring-2004/29|title=Glance Spring 2004|date=2004|work=issuu|accessdate=2017-06-10|publisher=California College of the Arts|language=en}} before completing a Masters of Arts degree in 1975 at San Francisco State University.{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.sfsu.edu/archive/fall_09/notes|title=Follow the Creative Sparks|website=SF State Magazine|language=en|accessdate=2017-06-10}}

His daughter Elizabeth died at age 21, after walking into a BART tunnel in 2004.{{Cite book |last=Hunter |first=Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P_JYAgAAQBAJ |title=Legendary Locals of Pacifica |date=2014-01-06 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-1-4671-0098-4 |pages=37 |language=en |via=Google Books}}{{Cite news |last=Goodyear |first=Charlie |date=March 16, 2004 |title=California senator's niece found dead on BART tracks / Cause of death of Elizabeth Torlakson unknown |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SAN-FRANCISCO-California-senator-s-niece-found-2780079.php |access-date=2024-04-27 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Torlakson |first=Tom |date=September 20, 2004 |title=Risk of harm should outweigh use |url=https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/risk-of-harm-should-outweigh-use-2723901.php |access-date=2024-04-27 |work=SFGate |language=en}}

He was a professor of printmaking and visual art at City College of San Francisco, from 1999 to 2017. Other teaching experience also includes California College of the Arts and Skyline College.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

Torlakson’s photorealism imagery have centered on “every day” America, which includes images of trucks, railways, amusement parks, waterfronts, fireworks booths, deserted drive-in theaters and coastal landscapes.{{cite web |last=Bartlett |first=Jean |date=2012-08-21 |title=Artist James Torlakson's journey through the play of light; exhibit at SFMOMA Artists Gallery |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2012/08/21/artist-james-torlaksons-journey-through-the-play-of-light-exhibit-at-sfmoma-artists-gallery/ |accessdate=2017-06-09 |website=The Mercury News |publisher=Pacifica Tribune}} His oils, watercolors, aquatint etchings and drawings have been exhibited nationally since 1971 within United States and internationally.{{cite web|url=https://www.flysfo.com/museum/public-art-collection?nid=3328|publisher=flysfo.com|title=Public Art Collection | flysfo.com |accessdate=2017-06-09}}

He has works housed in the collections of many American museums,{{cite web |title=James Torlakson |url=http://www.askart.com/artist/James_Daniel_Torlakson/101253/James_Daniel_Torlakson.aspx |accessdate=2017-06-09 |publisher=AskArt.com}} including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art,{{cite web |title=James Torlakson, William Farley |url=https://www.sfmoma.org/event/james-torlakson-william-farley/ |accessdate=2017-06-09 |website=SFMoMA}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZeTTzM30AA|publisher=youtube.com|title=SFMOMA Artists Gallery - Work of James Torlakson and William Farley - YouTube|date=29 September 2013 |accessdate=2017-06-09}} the Oakland Museum of California,{{Cite web |title=2006.23.1 James Torlakson, Rogue Equipment Sales |url=https://collections.museumca.org/?q=collection-item/2006231 |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=Oakland Museum of California}} the Brooklyn Museum,{{cite web |title=Bondage, James Torlakson |url=https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/106622 |accessdate=2017-06-09 |website=Brooklyn Museum |publisher=}} Rhode Island School of Design Museum;{{Cite web |title=Asleep at the Wheel |url=https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/asleep-wheel-80025 |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=RISD Museum}} New York Public Library’s print collection,{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Donald E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kfxLAQAAIAAJ |title=American Printmakers of the Twentieth Century: A Bibliography |date=2004 |publisher=St. Johann Press |isbn=978-1-878282-28-6 |pages=328 |language=en |via=Google Books}} the Art Institute of Chicago,{{Cite web |title=James Daniel Torlakson |url=https://www.artic.edu/artists/42425/james-daniel-torlakson |website=Art Institute of Chicago|date=1951 }} Carnegie Museum of Art, the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Library of Congress, Denver Art Museum, and the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}}

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Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American male artists

Category:20th-century American painters

Category:20th-century American printmakers

Category:21st-century American male artists

Category:21st-century American painters

Category:21st-century American printmakers

Category:American male painters

Category:Artists from San Francisco

Category:California College of the Arts alumni

Category:California College of the Arts faculty

Category:City College of San Francisco faculty

Category:Painters from California

Category:People from Pacifica, California

Category:San Francisco State University alumni