| Exhibits and Education |
| The JAC Exhibit Committee plans a variety of exhibits throughout the year. The Carnegie Gallery exhibits are changed every five to six weeks. Works by local artists, collectors, and artists from all over the Midwest are showcased. The Jaques Gallery exhibits original work by Francis Lee Jaques and changes seasonally. The Education Committee offers monthly workshops from March through November. Past workshops have included paper marbling, mosaic, cartooning, photography, weaving, and painting. Selected workshops are open to adults and children. |
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The Jaques Art Center was incorporated in 1996 and is located in the former 1911 Carnegie Library building in Aitkin. The original library space is now the Carnegie Gallery and Gallery Gifts area. Classroom and office space are located in the basement. The JAC doubled its space in 2004 with an addition to the building. The Jaques Gallery was added which showcases the work of Francis Lee Jaques. A handicapped entrance, elevator and handicapped accessible bathrooms on the gallery level were added. A second classroom was incorporated in the basement. The building loan was paid in 2008. Over 90 consigned artists have handcrafted items for sale in the Gallery Gifts. Jaques' prints, books and gift items are also available for sale. |
| Mission Statement |
The Jaques Art Center publicly presents exhibits, workshops, seminars, and programming for people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds. Its focus is to publicly present the arts including that of Francis Lee and Florence Page Jaques. |
Francis Lee Jaques hunted and trapped with his father and connected with editors and writers from major hunting magazines. While still a teenager, Lee paid ten dollars to buy a taxidermy shop in Aitkin. He toughed out a few winters scarcely earning enough money to survive and bartering paintings to pay for services. He alternated railroad work in northern Minnesota and taxidermy in Aitkin. In 1918 Jaques was drafted into the army. During his six month stay in St. Emilione, France he recorded his surroundings in several small pencil drawings and watercolor paintings. He came home with a rank of Private First Class and returned to Duluth. There he met Clarence C. Rosenkranz, an artist of the impressionist style, who helped him mix color and express his feelings through art. In 1924, Jaques sent some of his paintings to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. His talent was recognized and he was invited to join the museum's team as a background painter. The team traveled around the world gathering exhibit specimens. Jaques recorded his experiences throughout. Jaques was almost 40 years old when he met Florence Page, a friend of his landlord. She was a budding writer just out of a prestigious school in the East, but originally from Decatur, Illinois. Jaques and Florence found common ground in nature and developed a friendship. They were married in 1927. F.L and Florence Page Jaques spent time camping in the Boundary Waters Area of Minnesota. The time provided inspiration for their now-famous books, Snowshoe Country and Canoe Country. Sales from these two books helped fund the Jaques' involvement in the conservation project at Susie Island in Lake Superior. The conservation area was later named The Francis Lee Jaques Memorial Preserve in his honor. The Jaques' lived in New York for over 25 years before returning to Minnesota to work at the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History on the University of Minnesota campus. Jaques worked designing and painting diorama backgrounds until his retirement. The Jaques' final years were spent living in Shoreview, Minnesota. Jaques painted daily and created a mountainous body of work. Upon his death Florence completed and arranged for publication of his biography, Francis Lee Jaques: Artist of the Wilderness World. She donated his remaining art works to the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis and to the St. Louis County Historical Society, Duluth MN. Frances Lee Jaques passed away July 24, 1969 at the age of 81. His wife, Florence Page Jaques, died January 1, 1972 at 82 years of age. |
| JAC's Building |
Francis Lee Jaques and Florence Page Jaques
| Passing of the Old West by Francis Lee Jaques |
| Chickadee & Wreath by Francis Lee Jaques |
| The Jaques Gallery |
The Jaques Art Center
| The Carnegie Gallery |
| Gallery Gifts |
| Marcia Anderson, Dianne Fulton, Karen Raisanen, Ellen Taylor (intern) |
| Jerry Holm, President Gail Schardin, Vice President Mark Meyer, Past President Paul Hauge, Secretary Joel Hoelz, Treasurer Neva Bridgwater Angela Erickson Bill Forder Felicia Forder Ruth Hauge David Hommes Dori McMillan Melody Neumiller Mary Ellen Pogatchnik Dennise Sonnee |
| Staff |
| About Us |
| The Jaques Art Center is committed to Equal Opportunities and Accessibility |
| Francis Lee Jaques |
| 121 Second Street NW Aitkin, Minnesota 56431 |
| Open Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 4pm Admission is always FREE |
| 218.927.2363 info@jaquesart.com |
| Gallery Gifts |
| Office Staff Karen Raisanen, Executive Director Dianne Fulton, Office Assistant Marcia Anderson, Gallery Gifts Assistant |
| (click to enlarge) |
| (click to enlarge) |
We are often asked how to pronounce the word "Jaques". The word "Jaques" is from the French "Jacques", which is pronounced "zhak". The initial sound in "zhak" is the same as the z in "azure" or the s in "vision". However, because of changes in names and languages over the years, the family chose to pronounce their name "jay-KWEES". Just in case you were curious. |
| Pronunciation |
| General Information |
121 Second Street NW Aitkin, Minnesota 56431 218.927.2363 info@jaquesart.com Open Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 4pm Admission is always FREE |