Music: Aura Lee, The Cumberlands; Soldier's Joy, The Cumberlands; Miss McLeod's Reel/Liberty, The Huckleberry Brothers; Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine/Old 1812, The Huckleberry Brothers; Run Boy Run, The Cumberlands
Welcome to my sketchbook that I have compiled while covering the civil war as a special artist for Harper's Weekly Newspaper. To view my sketchbook or explore this website, click on the brown selection tabs across the top.
Stone's Battery Delivers
Union artillery defending the high ground at the Battle of Perryville, KY
Since 2002, I have been reenacting as a member of the Bohemian Brigade (a group of reporters and artists hired by various newspapers to cover and report the american civil war.)
I portray Theodore Russell Davis, one of the most widley traveled artist of the war, who worked for Harper's Weekly newspaper. I chose Davis as my alter ego due to the fact that he was all over the country and "had seen more of the war than anyone else", as General John Logan once said.
Davis was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1841 and was only 20 years old when the civil war began. He had two horses shot out from under him and was wounded twice during the war.
He witnessed such actions as the Monitor and Merrimack ironclad duel at Hampton Roads, the Vicksburg Campaign, the battles for Chattanooga, Sherman's Atlanta campaign and infamous march to the sea.
Davis was also a member of the entourage with William Howard Russell, foreign correspondent of the London Times, which made a tour through the South as the war broke out.
Jim Hoffmann at Fort Morgan, AL
Artist Theodore R. Davis
My love of history started as a child when my parents took our family to many historic sites throughout America on our summer vacations. Throughout grade school and high school, I was drawing historic scenes and subjects in graphite and colored pencil. I majored in Fine Art at Western Kentucky University specializing in commercial art and it was here that I developed a preference for working in pastels and acrylic paint.
Though my primary career as a graphic artist has been successful and rewarding, I soon realized that my love of illustrating was my true passion as an artist.
My other passion is history, particularly military subjects that occurred in the local region.
Charcoal, and pencil allow me to work slow and deliberate or fast paced. Pastels provide a wide variety of pure brilliant colors. They can be applied in pure raw color or soft blends of color with underlying tones and hues. I challenge myself to work from live subjects whenever possible and these are the instances when spontaneity and quick application establish the composition and foundation of my drawing. Once the basic shapes
and base tones are applied, I fill
in the shadows and highlights
from background to foreground.
I often illustrate actual places
that I have visited or toured,
and attempt to capture the true
depth and lay of the land, or the
scale and architectural details of
particular historic structures.
View other artwork by
Jim Hoffmann at:
Photo by Wendell Decker
www.wix.com/battlesketcher/hoffmann-art
On the field at an event or reenactment, I see many scenes that were common 150 years ago. I sketch with as much accuracy and detail as possible to provide a window through which the viewer can witness these moments from the past. The resulting sketch or illustration is no different than those recorded 150 years ago. It's been said, "a picture is worth a thousand words." I hope my artwork can convey a small hint of that sentiment.
For questions, comments or to order prints, use the Contact Form below.
8.5" x 11" print - $40 14" x 18" print - $65
Check for print availability and delivery details by using Contact Form.
Commissions by request are considered.
Jim Hoffmann email: battlesketch_windstream.net
376 Princess Circle (859) 873-4245 (859) 948-9599 (cell)
Versailles, KY 40383
