Don Pulver

Jazz.com is pleased to feature the vivid jazz- and blues-inspired artwork of Don Pulver. Please note that reproduction or use of these images without the written consent of the copyright holder is strictly prohibited. Inquiries about purchasing or licensing these works can be sent to galleries@jazz.com.

"Since I was very young my dream was to be was an artist," Pulver recalls. "My first big step was graduation from Kansas City Art Institute. During my commercial art career I worked as a designer / illustrator for several national publishing, advertising and catalog firms. In 1999 I left the commercial field to pursue a full-time Fine Arts career as a painter."

"I learned my love of jazz and blues from my older brother, who frequently listened to jazz on the radio and played records, and if I paid attention he would tell me about the various groups and give me some background on the music. He would even occasionally take me to a concert (if he couldnt get a date). In the early days, we listened to the big bands of the late 40s, but we graduated to the more progressive small quartets and experimental jazz music of the 50s. From there, I followed my own path into a combination of jazz and blues of the 30s and 40s up to the present, with an emphasis on the Delta Blues sound. Im happy to say my oldest son has followed the family tradition by becoming a jazz fan and hitting the local jazz clubs. About ten years ago, I began to make portraits of the many outstanding performers who developed the sounds and styles that led to the music of today.

"For me the whole creative process is exciting: developing the concept, composing the image, mixing the paints and then brushing layer upon layer of color until Im satisfied that the image is complete to my creative satisfaction. I love interpreting and developing whatever my eyes see or mind envisions, as well as the creation of new visions. If I were to create the same concept tomorrow, it would end differently because each day I capture a bit of that moments magic; each painting is a new learning experience, a new experiment and wonderful visual magic. And in that sense, at least, I share the aesthetic joys of a jazz musician."

Inquiries about purchasing or licensing Don Pulver's artwork can be sent to galleries@jazz.com.