Construction management grad now displays other skills
Growing up on the family farm near Springfield, Robbie Jelsma ’15 admits he had plenty of time to dream.
“I’ve just made do with what I had available my entire life, which wasn’t much growing up on a small farm in South Dakota,†he said. “I’m grateful for that though, it allowed me to discover my intuition without the interference of institutional standards.â€
Jelsma earned a bachelor’s degree in construction management and added a minor in business administration and a certificate in graphic design. He worked in project management with several utility companies in Akron, Ohio; Chicago; Baltimore and Lexington, Kentucky; before returning to South Dakota.
While he is busy remodeling buildings on his grandfather’s farm, which he purchased in 2018, other talents have come to the forefront. He has completed six murals, the latest in Sioux Falls this fall, and works as a tattoo artist.
“I wouldn’t say creating murals was always in the back of my mind, but I am a person who likes a challenge and stepping up to the plate,†he said. “I do all kinds of different art … oil and acrylic painting, spray painting, tattoos, cleats for athletes, woodworking, etc. I have a busy mind so art is the only thing that seems to narrow my focus enough to silence it and enter the flow state.
“As far as projects go, my only criteria is to trust my intuition and the signs life lays out in front of me. I am not a religious person per se, but I do lean heavily on God, in my own way, for guidance,†Jelsma continued.
The sixth mural, located near the Rock Island Building off Phillips Avenue, took nearly 24 hours to complete.
Other works include, in Brookings, the NAPA wall in May 2015, the hands painting at Mix Dry Cleaners in October 2015, the wild horse/South Dakota theme along 3rd Street in 2016, and the DJ rabbit in the 9 in 2017. He also created a mural in Redfield in 2019.
“I do anything I can to include nature and bright, but not overpowering, colors.
“I love what nature and art do for human psychology, even if the people viewing the projects don’t fully realize that at the time,†he said.
