About the Artist
Jerry Van Megert
A Master Artist of the Monterey Peninsula
Jerry Van Megert moved to Pebble Beach from Salem, Oregon in 1968. He had previously received an art scholarship to Willamette University where he was able to paint intensely for a period of two years with the artist in residence. He had known from the early age of six years old that he was going to be an artist and never wavered in the pursuit of his dream.
“Realizing there was no way to make a living in Salem as an artist, I began exploring other West Coast art colonies in California, such as Mendocino, Laguna Beach and La Jolla, before ending up in Carmel. I was captivated by the ever-mesmerizing vistas of sea and sky surrounding me. Everywhere I looked, I saw a painting and immediately fell in love with the Monterey Peninsula. I joined the Carmel Art Association and started to sell my work immediately.”
For over fifty years, Van Megert, as he is known professionally, created hundreds of paintings depicting the timeless natural beauty of his surroundings from his oceanfront cottage nestled in the heart of Pebble Beach’s Del Monte Forest. He captured the area’s iconic beauty in every type of weather from spectacularly sunny to mysteriously misty.
During that time he also established a highly successful career in portraiture, painting commissions for families, corporations, government officials and entertainment notables. His paintings are in California museums, businesses and corporate and private collections throughout the world. For many years his work was featured exclusively at a gallery, now closed, in Pebble Beach. During that period he collaborated with the gallery’s owner to produce his marvelous book, Pebble Beachscapes, and provided readers with an exciting display of his work in the area he loves and knows so intimately.
“Painting the beauty of Pebble Beach is rewarding, spiritually and mentally. It is a joy to capture its essence in a painting. It is a gift almost beyond comprehension.”
In conjunction with Pebble Beach Company’s 1999 centennial, Jerry was honored by being selected to exhibit a unique selection of his paintings in a one-man show. “Celebrating the Legacy of Pebble Beach Exhibition” was an acclaimed career highlight memorializing the timeless beauty of the living treasure known as Pebble Beach.
At 85 years young, Jerry Van Megert has experienced the rare opportunity of being recognized as a master artist during his lifetime. He now lives in Monterey and, though semi-retired, still paints frequently for himself. He continues to experience a thrill every time one of his paintings finds its forever home.
“I’m constantly growing and remain excited to see what’s around the corner next. You might feel you’ve painted everything and done everything, but you can do it again and do it better. Many artists do some of their best work when they are old because they have grown. I want to keep growing as an artist and God willing, I will keep painting for the rest of my life.”