ABSTRACT APPROACH
Contemporary American artist Jeff Muhs’ signature style shines through in his oil paintings and concrete sculptures
HAVING grown up in the Hamptons, New York, an area known for its natural beauty, artist Jeff Muhs has always drawn inspiration from his surroundings. Passionate about drawing and painting from a young age, he’d head out with his father – a hunting and fishing guide – from sunrise to sunset and pick up ideas for his work. After studying at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, where he learned the traditional techniques of oil painting, Jeff moved back to his home town, where he has lived and worked ever since. From his hand-built studio, he works primarily with oil on canvas but also experiments with concrete to create striking sculptures.
How would you describe your style?
I think of my paintings like a reflection in a puddle. Each piece is a landscape, with nature’s beauty distilled and rearranged into its most basic forms – light, colour and space. Some people have said that they look like stone or marble.
Tell us a little bit about your sculptures…
While oil on canvas is my main medium, I’ve always been a sculptor. I learnt the art of wood sculpting as a child from my father, but it wasn’t until I built my first house that I discovered concrete as a medium. I became fascinated by it and have been experimenting ever since. Unlike my paintings, my sculptures are driven primarily by process and form; I love discovering new ways to make interesting shapes. Talk us through how you create your artwork…
I spend a lot of time visualising and planning the work I’m about to undertake, winding myself up like a spring until the tension is released and the actual creating begins. It can take anything from 20 minutes to a month to make a painting.
Any investment advice?
I would say you should consider art as an investment in your quality of life, so always seek out pieces that resonate deeply with you.
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