Jeff Ham
Jeff Ham
Raw, bright, explosive colors are used to evoke emotion and draw attention to the subjects Jeff Ham paints. “In my paintings everything becomes an iconic image, no setting or backgrounds. I paint what I love, people, animals and landscapes. I do my best to translate emotion and feelings into color as well as communicate my individual interpretation of each subject. The work is done quickly and in the moment to capture spontaneity and avoid over thinking and over working. As an artist I am at a genesis of learning to express myself in an honest and straightforward manner.” – Jeff Ham
At 18 Jeff Ham took his first sojourn through the Southwest and Southern Utah. Zion, Bryce and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon proved to be such an influence on Jeff’s art that he works from a studio in St. George, Utah 7 to 8 months out of the year, while also keeping a studio on the shore of Lake Michigan in Michigan City, Indiana.
Jeff Ham’s work is found in magazines, galleries, national and international private collections and universities across the country.
Ham works out of studios in Indiana and Utah. A multi-talented artist, he expresses his creativity in a variety of media. While illustrating for books and magazines he began working for ad agencies and moved to Chicago. Companies such as Keebler, Becks Beer, Disney, Marlboro, Cheetos, Bush Beer, Budweiser, Haines, Kellogg’s and McDonalds have used his work. His children’s books illustrations include Black Beauty, Frankenstein, Anne of Green Gables, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea.
“I do my best to translate emotion and feelings into color and communicate my individual interpretation of each subject,” he explained. ”My goal is to capture spontaneity. As an artist I am learning to express myself in an honest and straightforward manner.”
Ham’s father is an illustrator and as a child he would stand on a chair to watch him work with oils, acrylics, fixatives, markers and pencils. He believes this gave him a solid base in the fundamentals of drawing and painting. He paints what he loves - people, animals and sometimes landscapes.
In 2003 he had his first one-man show at the Chicago Old Town School of Folk Music, followed by an exhibit at the South Suburban College in South Holland, Ill. In 2004 he won first place at the Heartland Art Gallery juried show in Plymouth and had a one- man show at the Heartland Gallery. In 2005 his work was accepted at a juried show at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City, and he was featured in the Lubeznik Center “Spirit of Animals” 2006 show.
My goal is to capture spontaneity
“I do my best to translate emotion and feelings into color and communicate my individual interpretation of each subject,” he explained. ”My goal is to capture spontaneity. As an artist I am learning to express myself in an honest and straightforward manner.”
Ham’s father is an illustrator and as a child he would stand on a chair to watch him work with oils, acrylics, fixatives, markers and pencils. He believes this gave him a solid base in the fundamentals of drawing and painting. He paints what he loves – people, animals and sometimes landscapes.
Jeff Ham Biography
“I do my best to translate emotion and feelings into color and communicate my individual interpretation of each subject,” he explained. ”My goal is to capture spontaneity. As an artist I am learning to express myself in an honest and straightforward manner.”
Ham’s father is an illustrator and as a child he would stand on a chair to watch him work with oils, acrylics, fixatives, markers and pencils. He believes this gave him a solid base in the fundamentals of drawing and painting. He paints what he loves – people, animals and sometimes landscapes.
EXHIBITIONS:
2013 – Guest Artist, Nature Works Art Sale and Show, Tulsa Ok *Award of Excellence received
2013 – 2009 Sears Gallery and Museum, Annual Invitational Show and Sale, St. George, UT *First & Second Place Awards
2012 – 2010 Sept Quick Draw Jackson Hole Art Festival, Jackson Hole, WY
2012 – 2011 “Western Visions Show”, National Wildlife Museum of Art, Jackson Hole, Wy
2012 “Icons of the West” Dana Gallery;s 2012 Invitational *awarded Southwest Art Magazine’s Award for Excellence
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS:
Purdue University, Westville, IN
Dixie State College, St. George, UT
Center For the Arts, Jackson Hole, WY
Reference
- Jeff Ham at Lovett's Gallery
- Jeff Ham at Mountain Trails Gallery
- Jeff Ham at Bear Tooth Gallery
- Jeff Ham on Facebook
Pickens Museum



Location and Hours of Operation
- Our Ponca City location
- Our Tonkawa location
- Our Coppercreek Location
- Our Woolaroc Location
- Our Future Location
Latest Stories about Pickens Museum
- Bronze statue from Pickens Museum to grace Osage Nation campus through the end of the year
- Pickens Learning Commons Opens at NOC Tonkawa
- Pickens Museum puts Monumental Sculpture on Display in Ponca City
- Woolaroc Announces New Exhibit Featuring the Collection of Dr. S. J. Pickens & Hugh Pickens
- Ponca City Monthly publishes story about Pickens Learning Commons at NOC
- Pickens Learning Commons Opens at NOC Tonkawa
- Pickens Museum Acquires "War Club" by Yatika Starr Fields January 20, 2022
Artists at Pickens Museum
- J. Chester Armstrong
- Bryant Baker
- Eugene Bavinger
- Jolene Bird
- Robin Bray
- Barbara Chase Riboud
- Sergey Chernomorets
- Charles Cordier
- Jo Davidson
- Andrew Scott DeJesse
- Donald De Lue
- Roger Disney
- Barbara Edwards
- Glen Edwards
- Jay Exon
- Yatika Starr Fields
- Espi Frazier
- John Dale Free
- John Free, Jr.
- Paul Gauguin
- Mitch Gyson
- Jeff Ham
- Robert Hardee
- Hugh Harrell Jr.
- K. Henderson
- Bri Hermanson
- Skip Hill
- Malvina Hoffman
- Kristen Hogue
- Varnette Honeywood
- Allan Houser
- Patrick Dean Hubbell
- Oreland Joe
- Catherine Jones
- Malvin Gray Johnson
- Rockwell Kent
- William Kilpatrick
- Tom Lea
- Becky Mannschreck
- John Manship
- Paul Manship
- Raoul Middleman
- Woodrow Nash
- Ed Natiya
- Clyde Otipoby
- Gene Pearson
- Pablo Picasso
- Daniel Pickens
- Erika Pochybova
- Charles Pratt
- Bill Rabbit
- Traci Rabbit
- Tanya Rafael
- Richard Recchia
- Faith Ringgold
- Josué Sánchez
- Fritz Scholder
- Stephen Schwark
- Isaac Shari
- Ralph Steadman
- Scott Storm
- Albert Wein
- C J Wells
Articles about Pickens Museum
2022
- Bronze statue from Pickens Museum to grace Osage Nation campus through the end of the year
- Pickens Learning Commons Opens at NOC Tonkawa
- Pickens Museum puts Monumental Sculpture on Display in Ponca City
- Woolaroc Announces New Exhibit Featuring the Collection of Dr. S. J. Pickens & Hugh Pickens
- Ponca City Monthly publishes story about Pickens Learning Commons at NOC
- Pickens Learning Commons Opens at NOC Tonkawa
- Pickens Museum Acquires "War Club" by Yatika Starr Fields January 20, 2022
2021
- Pickens Museum/NOC Mural Dedication Set for June 16th
- Yatika Starr Fields Completes Mural for Pickens Museum May 12, 2021
- Pickens Museum and NOC Announce Mural by Osage Artist Yatika Starr Fields May 5, 2021
- Osage Warrior in the Enemy Camp (Counting Coup) by John Free March 29, 2021
- Pickens Museum Displays Route 66 Murals by Robert Hardee March 29, 2021
- Pickens Museum Opens Exhibit of Sculpture by Donald De Lue at NOC March 24, 2021
- Pickens Museum partners with NOC February 23, 2021
2020
- Three Faces of the Pioneer Woman February 21, 2020
- Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Faith Ringgold February 21, 2020
- Exhibition: "Winter in New York" January 22, 2020
2019
2018
- The Turquoise Guitar by Jolene Bird November 26, 2018
- World's Largest Naja August 29, 2018
- A 1949 Hudson Limousine August 29, 2018
- Meet the Museum Design Team May 21, 2018
- A Ponca City Mystery April 5, 2018
- Tonya Rafael Visits Ponca City February 2018
2015 and before
- Sculptor Bryant Baker's Lost Masterpiece November 3, 2015
- Pioneer Woman Models Come Home February 26, 2010
- Pioneer Woman Models Should Return to Ponca City July 13, 2007
About Pickens Museum
Contact
hughpickens@gmail.com