Artist Focus: Mark Jacobucci

California artist Mark Jacobucci paints with bold light and dark contrast, energetic brushwork and rich color harmonies. His inspiration comes from coastlines, beaches, harbors, highways, downtowns and deserts—timeless yet ever changing scenes that he revisits often.

“These places evolve with time, and I enjoy capturing their different moods,” says Jacobucci. “I begin with a dynamic composition, then focus on light, color and when fitting, action and movement.” On location, he paints quickly and abstractly in the alla prima style, typically completing a piece in one session.

Morning at the Beach, oil on canvas, 15 x 30"

“While I love the drama of early and late light, I frequently work in midday conditions, embracing the challenge of strong shadows and vivid tones,” he says. “In the studio, my approach is a little more precise, more illustrative and perhaps more narrative-driven. I have time over a few sessions to refine compositions, make changes, think about it or leave it alone for a while.” How would Jacobucci describe his style? “It blends loose and precise, realism and abstraction, in both large and small formats on location and in the studio. I embrace both spontaneity and structure. And I love, love, love doing it all.”

No Gas in the Morning, oil on canvas, 8 x 16"

Jacobucci, who won the American Art Collector Award of Excellence at the 2024 Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach Fine Art Show, will be showing his work again at this year’s event, taking place July 2 through August 29. Visit foapom.com for details.

Jacobucci is represented by Scene Gallery in Corona Del Mar, California, and Studio 7 Gallery in Laguna Beach. –