George Jensen

George Jensen (August 9, 1878 – October 4, 1977) was an artist of Danish descent born in Port Clinton, Ohio. Jensen was best known for his Midwest and New England landscape and seascape oil paintings as well as for his artistic versatility producing numerous works from water colors to linoleum block. Jensen often traveled to Michigan (Saline, Marquette, Presque Isle), New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Massachusetts (Cape Cod, Provincetown) and compiled sketches which he would later transcribe to canvas. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is where he would paint seascapes of black rocks and waves that would "wash 15 feet high" off Lake Superior. Jensen was a self-proclaimed conservative artist whose collection includes no duplicates. Other US cities where George Jensen's art has been exhibited include: Sylvania, Ohio; Bowling Green, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New York, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and others. In addition to painting and teaching, for 20 years Jensen worked commercially as an artist for Jennison-Wright, Willys-Overland, Conklin Pen Co., Medbury-Ward Co, Webb C. Ball Co, as well as many other national publications. However, as the depression slowed commercial progress, Jensen kept busy by shifting focus to landscape and seascape art which he preferred. In 1954, he celebrated the 40th anniversary of his first "one-man art show" held at the Toledo Museum shortly after the building was constructed with an additional exhibit of 20 paintings held at the Toledo Museum of Art.

Awards Jensen received first awards for his oil paintings in 1930 and 1931 from the Toledo Federation of Art Societies. In 1953, he won honorable mention for contributions made to the Williams County Fair in Montpelier, Ohio. In 1962, he won second prize for an oil painting as well as the Popular Award at the Bowling Green Fair. In 1947, Jensen provided instruction to artists during the Second Annual Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings held by the Dorwood OnIzed Art Club. He taught in the Toledo Museum of Art as well as instructed privately over 150 students many of whom contributed art to exhibitions. Jensen often donated art to community organizations including the Bethel Lutheran Church in Toledo (where he was a member) and the Magruder Memorial Hospital in Port Clinton, OH.

Family Jensen was father to three children: Georgana Bauman, Elliot Jensen and Clifford Jensen, and grandfather to Jon Jensen, Julia Jensen, Barbara Bauman, Donald Bauman, and Ronald Bauman, who carries on his grandfather's artistic tradition.