Jakki Kouffman
Truro, Massachusetts
Artist Jakki Kouffman creates vibrant pastel art inspired by the beauty of Cape Cod. "Using color, whether descriptive or invented, brings a zest and immediacy which I have come to prefer," says Jakki. Her artistic journey began with the study of sculpture, earning a year-long fellowship in Pietrasanta, Italy, before continuing with classical painting training under John Burns of the Boston Museum School and Daniel Greene at the Art Students League of New York. Although she ultimately shifted from sculpture to painting, its influence remains central to her work, shaping her sensitivity to light, form, and composition. Working primarily in dry pastel, Jakki combines photographs, memory, and imagination to create expressive landscapes filled with movement and luminous color. She paints from a dedicated Cape Cod studio, surrounded by works in progress and inspired by the improvisational rhythms of cool jazz. Outside the studio, Jakki enjoys hiking, birdwatching, and exploring the coastal and mountain landscapes that continue to inspire her art.
Artist Statement
My fascination with surface began through sculpture, which I studied at Brandeis University. After graduation in 1973, I received a year-long fellowship to study stone carving and bronze casting in Pietrasanta, Italy. That experience led me to pursue four years of classical portrait and figure painting in oil and pastel at The Art Students League of New York from 1975 to 1979 under Daniel Greene, inspired by the Renaissance masters I encountered while living in Italy.
As my work evolved, I became increasingly interested in color as a way to express emotion and mood. The paintings of Vincent van Gogh, Pierre Bonnard, André Derain, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Mary Cassatt, and Edgar Degas encouraged me to pursue bold color harmonies and purposeful composition, an exploration that continues to shape my work today.
Above all, I paint to communicate feelings and ideas. When someone chooses to live with one of my paintings, I consider it both an honor and the completion of the creative process.
As my work evolved, I became increasingly interested in color as a way to express emotion and mood. The paintings of Vincent van Gogh, Pierre Bonnard, André Derain, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Mary Cassatt, and Edgar Degas encouraged me to pursue bold color harmonies and purposeful composition, an exploration that continues to shape my work today.
Above all, I paint to communicate feelings and ideas. When someone chooses to live with one of my paintings, I consider it both an honor and the completion of the creative process.
Artist Background
Brandeis University
Bachelor of Arts, 1973
The Art Students League of New York
, 1979
This artist is beloved by many collectors across the country, however they do not have any reviews here yet. Questions?