Jimmy Abegg

JIMMY WAS BORN AND RAISED IN WESTERN NEBRASKA. ALTHOUGH MANY WOULD FIND LITTLE TO LOVE ABOUT THE FLAT NEBRASKA LANDSCAPE, IT SHAPED HIM ARTISTICALLY AND TAUGHT HIM TO SEE BEAUTY IN SIMPLE THINGS. FOR HIM, THE HIGH PRAIRIE GRASS, BIG OPEN SKIES AND THE SANDHILLS ARE STRIKING AND UNFORGETTABLE.

JIMMY FELL IN LOVE WITH MAKING ART AT AGE FIVE AND MAKING MUSIC AT AGE SIX. IN EACH INSTANCE, IT WAS OBVIOUS TO HIM WHAT HE WAS MADE TO DO, AS HE QUICKLY EXCELLED PAST EVERYONE ELSE AROUND HIM.

AS A YOUNG, CREATIVE, FREE SPIRIT LIVING IN AN ARGUABLY BORING AREA OF THE COUNTRY, HIS LOVE OF MAKING MUSIC AND ART WERE COUPLED TO A SENSE OF CAREFREE ADVENTURE.

AS A TEENAGER HE And HIS FRIENDS HOPPED FREIGHT TRAINS. WITH NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD, THEY WOULD RIDE FOR HOURS AND SOMETIMES FIND THEMSELVES HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM HOME, WITH NO THOUGHT GIVEN TO HOW WE WOULD MAKE IT BACK HOME. HE ALSO HITCHHIKED ROUTINELY, ONCE MAKING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ALTHOUGH HE DIDN’T STAY THERE AT THE TIME, HE KNEW HE WOULD BE BACK SOMEDAY.

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, HIS FAMILY LEFT WESTERN NEBRASKA FOR DENVER, COLORADO IN 1971 AND THEN ONTO TO CALIFORNIA IN 1973. THERE HE STUDIED ART AND MUSIC AT AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE AND THEN SIERRA COLLEGE.

IN 1989, A CAREER IN MUSIC LED HIM AND MY YOUNG FAMILY TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

TODAY, HE STILL CALLS NASHVILLE HOME AND I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT THE YEARS HAVE BEEN GENEROUS AND FULL. HE HAS BEEN GIVEN SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE FOR HIS FAMILY AND CARE FOR OTHERS WHILE CREATING THINGS HE LOVES. BE IT, PLAYING MUSIC ON THE ROAD, RECORDING IN THE STUDIO, MAKING FINE ART, SHOWING IN GALLERIES, DESIGNING RECORD PACKAGING, PHOTOGRAPHING MUSICIANS, WRITING MUSIC, OR MENTORING OTHERS ON ALL OF THE ABOVE; HIS LIFE OF CREATIVITY HAS EXPLORED MANY MEDIUMS.

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, MACULAR DEGENERATION HAS TAKEN AWAY THE MAJORITY OF HIS SIGHT. THE GOOD NEWS IS, HE CAN STILL MAKE ART AND PLAN TO DO SO FOR A LONG TIME. IN FACT, SOME OF HIS FAVORITE PIECES HAVE BEEN CREATED DURING THIS TIME. HE ALSO HAS A LOT OF EXTRA TIME ON HIS HANDS NOW THAT HE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DRIVING OR OPERATING A COMPUTER…

WHETHER ABSTRACT OR FIGURATIVE, HIS PAINTING CONTINUES THE TENDENCY TOWARDS CURIOSITY, WHIMSY AND SIMPLE BEAUTY, WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF TRAIN-HOPPING, CAREFREE ADVENTURE. 

BOOKING

Mike Kelley
utragency@gmail.com
832-758-3300