Cort Jensen was born in California. A kid who grew up on the beach with his twin brother Christopher, they spent their days and nights surfing, golfing, discovering and exploring. Sleeping on the sand under every type of moon is embedded in their DNA. Their parents, Rick and Chickie, instilled independence, curiosity, the ability to build and survive, but most importantly, they stoked their creative flames. In so doing, Chickie and Rick have helped give the world, through their boys, Arbor Boards from Christopher, and this inexplicably unique art you now see from Cort.

Currently, heartbreak still fills the air, and is the primary emotion playing itself out. You see, Christopher recently passed away late in the fall of 2018. Although physically gone, Christopher lovingly left behind the most important parts of himself to serve as recollection of the joy that life has to offer us all. Memories of his past, through all those he touched, provide a gift from which we all learn and continue to enjoy today.

As with all twin siblings, each plays a necessary and significant role in the life of the other. Karmic evolution is one way to explain it.  Another could be the strongest form of inherent love. Still another is the oft cited phenomena and hidden nature of ‘soul mates’. Whatever they may be, it is important to recognize the beauty of the brother’s intimate relationship and how it is captured in Cort’s art.

Although Cort creates from his own soul, with all pieces ultimately his very own expression of his spiritual state in the moment each piece is birthed, it would be remiss to not recognize the unearthly connection of the brother’s polarities when viewing Cort’s art…

The ‘How’ of it:

“How did you do that?” is a familiar question posed to Cort…

His answer is with a collection of colorful ‘Sharpie’ ink pens. Cort’s motivation for each drawing is still a mystery, even to him. Emotions play the biggest role in creating each piece…

The Inspiration:

All pieces are unique, having no singular motive. Each is drawn as a pencil sketch, a sort of ‘skeleton’ so to speak. Cort has no idea of a general continuum of lines, shapes, or patterns, no color scheme or template. Eyes closed, and sometimes with his opposite hand, he just begins to draw. No rhyme or reason, no preconceived notion or image.

“It’s subconscious, I don’t care, I just let it flow. It’s like throwing up emotions.”

Once the first element in the ‘skeleton’ sketch is discovered, the starting point, Cort takes a Sharpie pen and begins coloration of the image. Blending the colors to fit the story of the image is the true magic here. “Why… How…?” What story can be seen in a skeleton? Truth be told, none… yet.

The story begins to unfold after the first color is laid down, which then prompts Cort to reach for the next color he feels, or is drawn to. That first color serves as ‘home’. It has the power of ‘True North’ just like the magnetic pull on a compass. You see, that first color is the heartbeat of the image’s story, and that heartbeat pumps all the other colors to their rightful place.

The contrast of opposite colors, side by side, appear as a most natural conflict. So natural in fact that they are compelled to compliment their obvious differences.

Cort’s emotions paint the colors without regard for outcome, meaning once he puts the pen down and starts to create, there is no turning back; what is drawn stays drawn. However, like many masters before him, he will color over something that just doesn’t fit…