2018 Jacob A. Pfeiffer Exhibition Catalog

Jacob A. Pfeiffer “Best Medicine� | Recent Works

Jacob A. Pfeiffer “Best Medicine” | Recent Works

October 5 - 18, 2018

on the cover:

Guacamole

oil 40x30

225 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico | 505.983.1434 | www.meyergalleries.com | meyersfnm@aol.com

Jacob A. Pfeiffer is a young artist who hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1996 with highest honors. Pfeiffer's technique is impeccable, precise, and uncannily accurate. His latest work consists of tightly rendered still lifes containing a wide variety of objects. Purposefully provocative compositions are constructed with meticulous and time consuming craftsmanship. A rich and deeply saturated palette is used to depict a myriad of complex textures. Pfeiffer designs his spaces with a deceptive simplicity that resonates with a sense of volume, drama, power and above all, humor. The resulting work has found a wide array of admiring collectors and has also garnered the attention of the art press, being featured in American Arts Quarterly, Art News, The Artist’s Magazine and gracing the covers of American Artist, Southwest Art and American Art Collector. His inclusion in several high profile museum shows attest to the status of this successful young artist. Jacob lives in Madison, WI with his wife and two children.

With an underlying acknowledgement of our current political climate, Jacob Pfeiffer’s current work simply aims to “lighten the mood” through witty visual puns and humorous wordplay. The theme of his solo show is derived from the familiar idiom, “laughter is the best medicine,” and his paintings similarly illustrate quirky words or puzzling puns.

Lemon-aid oil 14x11

“One of the big hang ups for someone learning English are the funny sayings we have. It’s a quirk of our language that I find interesting. I like to put an image to these sayings, so you see an absurd arrangement of items that convey the same meaning.”

-Jacob A. Pfeiffer

Birdie oil 9x9 on the previous page: Fowl Ball oil 12x16

Olive Oil oil 6x8

“Stars and Stripes II” is another piece of striking detail depicting an American flag that sags tiredly with wrinkled wear. “It’s the overarching idea of what’s the best medicine that we need for our country,” Pfeiffer says of this piece. “Instead of looking for things that divide us, what can bring us together? Beauty, laughter, kindness…things like that are what I’m striving for in my work.”

Sour Grapes oil 20x16

“Bleeding Hearts” is a trompe l’oeil depiction of a plucked bleeding-heart flower, which has been secured with a Band-Aid. Band-Aids are another new and recurring symbol in Pfeiffer’s work that relate to his suggested political themes. “The Band-Aids signify healing,” Pfeiffer explains. “Healing that needs to take place within ourselves and our communities. And I guess Band-Aids have become a ubiquitous part of my life since becoming a father,” he adds. “They don’t seem to do much, but they sure do help when you put one on.”

Bleeding Heart II oil 8x8 Stars and Stripes II oil 24x36

on the previous page:

“Bookworm IV” conveys one of these silly phrases, as Pfeiffer paints a gummy worm dangling over a haphazard stack of books. Other pieces visually breakdown common words, foods or plant names to create a guessing game for the viewer. “Guacamole,” for instance, depicts three bowling balls suspended in mid-air above a display of tomatoes, avocadoes, jalapeno, lime and onion. Patterned and visually appealing bowling balls have been a common image for Pfeiffer recently, and here they play into the emotional levity the artist hopes to transmit through humorous compositions.

Bookworm IV oil 20x10 Funnel Cake oil 7x9

on the previous page:

Peace Train oil 10x20

Sponge Cake III oil 12x10

Jacob Pfeiffer

| “Best Medicine” | Recnt Works

Birdie

9x9

$2,800

Bleeding Heart II

8x8

$2,800

Bookworm IV

20x10

$4,800

Far From the Tree

12x12

$4,200

Fowl Ball

12x16

$5,000

Funnel Cake

7x9

$2,800

Guacamole

40x30

$20,000

Lemon-aid

14x11

$4,200

Olive Oil

6x8

$2,500

Peace Train

10x20

$4,800

Sour Grapes

20x16

$6,800

Sponge Cake III

12x10

$3,800

Stars and Stripes II

24x36

$16,500

Jacob Pfeiffer EDUCATION: Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Milwaukee, WI University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, BS in Art Education, 1996 SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 2017 Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM (opens October 6th) 2015 “Observations and Revelations”, Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2013 “Still Lifes with a Twist”, Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2011 Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2010 Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2008 Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM GROUP EXHIBITIONS: 2017 National Contemporary Realism Exhibition, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK New Year’s Group Exhibition, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Valentine Group Show, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK 2016 Wisconsin Artist Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI Four Artists to Watch, (4 person Show) John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Valentine’s Show, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK National Contemporary Realism Exhibition, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK All Things Considered, Tree’s Place Gallery, Orleans, MA The Language of Objects, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA Still Life Invitational, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Small Works, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA Holiday Exhibition, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK 2015 Star Wars: Visions, Mori Arts Center, Tokyo, Japan Valentines Group Show, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK National Contemporary Realism Exhibition, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK Small but Powerful - the Animate and Inanimate, Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA Still life and Florals, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Figures and Interiors, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Small Works Show, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA 2014 National Contemporary Realism Exhibition, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK Art in Bloom, Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA Drawings, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Still life, Florals and Trompe l’Oeil, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Figures and Interiors, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA These Are a Few of My Favorite Things, Principle Gallery, Charleston, SC A Holiday Celebration, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK

2013 Face to Face: Artists’ Self Portraits from the Collection of Jackie and Curtis Finch, Jr Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR Masters in Miniature: Small Works, Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA Recent Arrivals, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA Still Life, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA National Contemporary Realism Exhibition, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK BIBLIOGRAPHY: 2016 The Art of Vanitas, fine art publication by Rodney Davis American Art Collector, (Trees place show) Fine Art Connoisseur, “Art in Good Taste”, June issue American Art Collector, “Building Narratives”, October issue American Art Collector, “Artistic Alliance”, November issue American Art Collector, “Minute Masterpieces”, December issue American Arts Quarterly, page 57, Fall issue 2015 The Santa Fe New Mexican, "Pasatiempo" Weekly Magazine of Arts, Entertainment & Culture 2014 American Art Collector, “Milestones”, November issue, page 142 American Art Collector, “Objects of Beauty”, April issue, page 149 AWARDS: 2016 Honorable Mention, 2016 Wisconsin Artist Biennial, Museum Of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI CORPORATE COLLECTIONS: Lucas Films, (personal collection of George Lucas) San Francisco, CA City of San Diego Art Collection, San Diego, CA Seven Bridges Foundation, Greenwich, CT Howard Tullman collection, Chicago, IL Bahl and Gaynor, Cincinnati, OH Museum of Bags, Washington D.C. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Memorial Union Art Collection, Madison, WI YOUR FLESH Magazine Corporate collection, Minneapolis, MN Jordan Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA John Pence Collection, San Francisco, CA David Jacobs Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA Fremont Group, San Francisco, CA North American Properties, Cincinnati, OH Williamson – Dickie Manufacturing Company, Forth Worth, TX

Jacob A. Pfeiffer

Far From the Tree oil 12x12

“Best Medicine” | Recent Works October 5 - 18, 2018 Artist Reception: Friday, October 5, 2018 | 5-7pm

225 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico | 505.983.1434 | www.meyergalleries.com | meyersfnm@aol.com