Nature as everyday objects Bits and pieces of nature collected on walks as well as everyday objects characterize the subtle surrealism of Jeff Faust. His joy is seeing nature and his interpretation of the world in his paintings. Read more Still Life with Kingfisher The Subtle Realism of Jeff Faust In the canvases of painter Jeff Faust, violins burst into flame, oars grow from tree roots, eddies of eucalyptus leaves swirl above delicate porcelain bowls, and cages confine clouds, not birds. Read more Artist Statement The process of painting is, for me, an attempt to integrate elements that reside in my mind into a sort of visual poem - a visual form of the written word. I feel a need to share these ideas in my mind, to make them visible. From an early age, I was exposed to art. I started painting as a young boy, with much encouragement and support from my parents. As most homes have magazines strewn about, our home had art books strewn about. I resisted formal art education because I had images and ideas in my head that were mine – and I was repelled at the thought of someone telling me how to do something – as it felt limiting to me. Instead, I studied on my own. I spent hours looking at the work of the masters – and more hours experimenting to unlock the secrets of their techniques. I begin a painting with only a general idea of the composition. It might be a bird piece – or a bowl piece – or one of a series done with a common theme – such as the Journey pieces. I don’t set up a scene and paint it. I paint mostly from the images in my head although I have a few objects in my studio that I refer to, such as a feather or an old oar that I picked up one day on the beach. The journey to find the image really begins when I first approach the canvas. I don’t know what the final result will be and it’s sometimes the start of a fleshing-out process that can last for weeks. I have always painted with acrylics. The fact that they dry quickly allows me to make changes. I routinely change the way an object looks and it’s not unusual for a painting to go through many color changes. Once the piece feels complete, I get deep satisfaction from absorbing it, thinking about it, finding its meaning for me - and hoping that it does the same for others. There’s a general theme to my work. I paint common objects – mostly found in nature – things that people routinely and unthinkingly pass by. Placing them in a painting creates an opportunity to look at them differently, perhaps more importantly, to see their vitality and presence. I generally show them in a state of movement to demonstrate the fleeting nature or impermanence of life around us. I want my work to cause people to pause and think. I may juxtapose objects in an interesting way, which results in viewers labeling the work surreal. I don’t feel the need to have a label on my work, but I also don’t object to the often-used term subtle surrealism to describe it. It’s also sometimes labeled trompe l’oeil. I’m not trying to paint in this style, but realize that it’s an unintentional result of my attempt at high realism. I always find it interesting – and curious – that others want to know the meaning of a particular painting. I have two thoughts on that. First, I want the image to speak for itself. Second, what the image means to me isn’t really relevant. I think it’s presumptuous to believe that my meaning is important. It’s only important to me. The painting is there for others to pause, to think, to find meaning within the context of their own lives.
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