Located in the historic black hills of South Dakota, in the aptly named town of Deadwood, lies the gallery of a family dedicated to their craft. World renowned artist Scott Jacobs and his family have opened an art gallery here, to let the world know their passion for creating and displaying beautiful pieces of artwork along with many of our hat styles. His daughter, Olivia, does a fantastic job managing the gallery and is an absolute joy to work with.

Scott Jacobs grew up in Cranford, New Jersey, and graduated from Westfield High School where he drew pen-and-ink illustrations for the school’s newspaper. Jacobs worked for an art gallery as a teen and then went on to sell art out of a van. At 19, he purchased an art gallery at below market value and was an art dealer for 25 years. In 1989, his wife, Sharon, gave him an easel, canvases and paints as a Christmas gift. Jacobs began painting and displaying his work in his own galleries under the assumed name Escotete. Based on client feedback, he concentrated on creating work in a photorealistic style. In 1993, a short time after painting two pieces “Fat Boy” and “Live to Ride,” which featured Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Jacobs’ work was seen by the motorcycle manufacturer. Harley-Davidson signed Jacobs as its first officially licensed artist in its fine art program, a position he continues to hold.

Jacobs’ work has also been licensed by Chevrolet, Ford, Mattel, Marilyn Monroe Estates and Elvis Presley Enterprises and others. His work has appeared on Franklin Mint Collector Plates, apparel and other home décor items. As of 2013, Jacobs had been the official artist for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 17 times. Other subjects of Jacobs’ work include game room still life paintings, wine and spirits, women in masks, cars and florals. Jacobs’ original works sell for $40,000-$150,000.

Some well known collectors of Jacobs’ work include Willie G. Davidson, Bill Davidson, Jeff Bleustein, Senator Ben Campbell, John Elway, Carl Malone, Don King, Dan Aykroyd, Robert Patrick, Steve Hendrickson, Arlen Ness, Joan Lunden, Kathy Ireland, Kim Alexis, Malcolm Forbes, Clarence Clemons, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, ZZ Top, Survivor and Loverboy.

Scott is a man of great character. He spent time on the show “Secret Millionaire” where in each episode, a millionaire leaves their luxurious life behind, takes on a secret identity and lives undercover in a much much poorer area of the country for a week. Living on a limited budget (Usually less than $150) with no modern conveniences they must forge their own way in the community – working and volunteering alongside the locals and finding individuals or projects whom they think deserve a cut of their fortune. On their final day, the millionaires come clean and reveal their true identity to the people they have chosen, surprising them with gifts of thousands of dollars to improve their lives. They must donate at least $100,000 in total. “I gave $180,000, which is like a painting and a half for me,” Scott says. “I have seven motorcycles, four homes and eight cars. I can afford to give more. And I will give more. I will continue to be philanthropic the more successful I am.”

“I think one of the reasons I became the most successful person in my family financially is that my dad always told me growing up that I was a failure,” he says. “So I was out to basically prove my parents wrong.

“I worked for every single thing I have,” he says. “Nothing was ever given to me. Every dollar I made was a separate brush stroke on a piece of canvas.

“Now to be able to go back to New Jersey and be immersed in what we were immersed in is a real reality check. Anybody can have a reversal of fortune at any time.”

Scott is not the only artist in the family. Alexa Jacobs is also a very talented artist, and is very passionate about her work. At age 15, she started working part time for her dad, Scott as his under-painter.  The first time she painted lasted a brief 15 minutes before she was uninterested and ready to move onto her next teen adventure. Although, Scott thought he lost his apprentice forever, Alexa worked on and off for him for the next several years, amongst many other odd jobs, including modeling for Harley-Davidson. It wasn’t until she had eight years of painting experience with her father that she gained enough courage to create some of her own master pieces.  Her first several years painting her own canvases were spent experimenting with many different mediums, subjects and styles. Although she believes in the world of art you never stop discovering, she is confident she has found her niche.

Deadwood is only a stone’s throw away from Sturgis, home of the world famous motorcycle rally! This year’s rally is right around the corner, and if you’re a motorcycle enthusiast or simply like to have a good time, you shouldn’t miss out!

Scott Jacob’s contributions to the world of art and his philanthropic nature have truly solidified his position as an American hero. There’s no better place than Jacob’s Gallery to pick up a hat on your way to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this year! You won’t regret checking out all of the gorgeous artwork they have to offer!