Some stories take a very long time to come full circle. Mine with artist Scott Jacobs took about 30 years.

I first met Scott sometime in the early 1990s during Sturgis Rally week at the Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. It was a brief conversation about his artwork, but I remember being absolutely fascinated by his photorealistic style. I had no idea at the time that our paths would cross again and again over the next three decades—or that one day I would actually be sitting in his studio with a paintbrush in my hand, learning from him.

But that’s getting ahead of the story.

From Sturgis to

Bikes & Spikes

Years later, Denise, Helen and I started a motorcycle magazine for women called Bikes & Spikes. In 1998, we decided we wanted to do something a little different and put a male model on the cover.

Because apparently starting a women’s motorcycle magazine wasn’t enough trouble for the three of us. 

Through one of those crazy connections that life sometimes hands you, we ran into a friend of Scott’s in Minneapolis, his name was also Scott at a rodeo of all places... He called Scott and I asked him if he’d be willing to model for us.

And Scott said yes.

So off we went to Rancho Santa Fe, California, where we stayed a couple of evenings , spent time with his family, visited his studio and headed into the hills to take photographs for the magazine.

 

Later that year, when Bikes & Spikes officially launched, Scott returned the favor and came to Minnesota to help us celebrate. We brought him to the Whiskey Junction, where he signed autographs, T-shirts and probably anything else people could put in front of him.

And Scott wasn’t quite done with us yet.

After we returned home from California, a package showed up in the mail from Scott. Inside was something I never expected—he had painted a logo for Bikes & Spikes.

I was absolutely thrilled. Here was an artist whose work I had admired since first meeting him years earlier during Sturgis Rally week, and now he had created artwork specifically for our crazy little magazine. The three women with their hair flying back in flames, riding straight into the wind—it was Bikes & Spikes to a T.

That logo went on to become part of the identity of the magazine, along with our tagline, “Hopelessly Addicted to the Wind and the Road.” Seeing it on the finished magazine made the whole adventure feel very real.

Looking back, I think that original artwork arriving in the mail was one of those moments when I thought, Holy crap…we actually have a magazine.

It was one of those wonderfully crazy chapters of my life.

And then life moved on.

I continued following Scott’s career and watching him paint. For roughly 30 years, I watched that incredible photorealistic work evolve—the motorcycles, chrome, glass, flowers, and all those tiny details that make you wonder how in the world somebody does that with paint.

Then came 2024.

Thirty Years Later, I Finally Picked Up the Brush

In May 2024, I found myself at Scott’s five-day Artistry Retreat in Deadwood, South Dakota. I was nervous and super excited.

This time, I wasn’t going there with a magazine, a photographer or plans to put Scott on a cover.

I was going there as an artist.

And that made this trip completely different.

I packed my painting supplies and some of my own artwork and headed west. Instead of racing straight to Deadwood, I took my time through South Dakota, stopping in the Badlands and wandering through Wall Drug and Spearfish Canyon. I photographed the landscape, explored and basically gave myself permission not to be in a hurry.

That drive alone reminded me why artists love South Dakota. Everywhere you look there’s something begging to be photographed, drawn or painted.

  

 

When I finally arrived in Deadwood and was checking into my hotel, who should be standing right there on the sidewalk?

Scott.

After all those years, he greeted me with a big hug and invited me to the opening reception at his studio that evening.

Now THAT was a pretty good way to start an art retreat.

Welcome to the Studio

That evening we gathered at Scott’s studio, where I met the other artists who would be spending the week together. There was wine, hors d’oeuvres, artwork everywhere and plenty of time to wander around and take it all in.

 

Some of the people I met that first evening became friends I still have today.

The next morning, it was time to get serious.

Well…as serious as a group of artists with paint, food and five days together can possibly get.

Scott had a continental breakfast waiting for us, and then we went to work.

Over the course of the retreat we worked through several projects and techniques—including pen work, acrylic tiger eyes on black paper, a butterfly and a gorgeous acrylic tulip.

 

And I soaked up everything.

I watched. I painted. I asked questions. I took photographs and video. After watching Scott paint for decades, I could finally stand close enough to see the process happening right in front of me.

What struck me just as much as his ability, though, was how generous he was with it. There was no superstar attitude. Scott couldn’t have been nicer or more willing to share what he knew.

And the experience didn’t end when we put the brushes down.

In the evenings I wandered around Deadwood, was invited to a concert and then-went back to my room and drew some more. 

 

We spent an evening at Scott’s restaurant, which included a bakery and bar, and by the end of our retreat we were invited to his home high above Spearfish. The drive up was worth it all by itself.

His home sits high in the hills, and when we reached the top, the view was unbelievable. We gathered at the bar and shared a wonderful dinner put together by Sharon, Alexa, Olivia and company.

 

 

I remember looking around and thinking about how strange life can be.

Thirty-some years earlier, I’d walked up to an artist during Sturgis week because I loved his paintings.

Then somehow he ended up modeling for our motorcycle magazine.

Then he came to Minnesota to celebrate its launch with us. My life has been funny or should I say fun like that more than once...

And now, all those years later, I was sitting at his home in the Black Hills after spending five days painting with him and my new artist friends. I am so grateful for this experience. 

That’s one heck of a circle to close.