hover over the photo above and click through for a peek into the artist’s studio

As artists, once in a while, we come across someone who inspires us, who thinks the way we do, who spurs us to greater heights– artistic kindred spirits, if you will.  I’ve featured Bay Area artist Jeffrey Beauchamp before just recently, but the invitation for a visit to his studio before we left Marin County was too good to pass up and his work too good and inspiring not to share again!

I had so much going on personally while we were in Marin, that it was a challenge just to find the time to go to Jeff’s studio.  Something always seemed to be getting in the way and we ended up putting it off until my next to last week in the Bay Area.  I gave myself two hours to meet with Jeff before another appointment that day.  But soon after we began talking, I found myself wishing we had met up sooner and that I had been able to give him more time that day.

The way Jeff works is almost antithetical to my process– he often takes years to finish a painting, while I rarely take more than an afternoon.  Immediately, I felt like there was a lesson in that for me.  That I need to have a willingness to take my time, to be able to let go and let something be for a while so that I know for sure where I need to take it.

Jeff lets his work sit, he is able to wait with it, to let it speak to him.  To continue to work and rework until it reaches its conclusion.  In doing so, there is a layered depth to his work that creates stunning visual texture.

the view from the ark, oil on canvas, 96×72

walrus suffrage gains ground, oil on paper, 28×20

There is also a willingness to be constantly experimenting and evolving his process.  For instance, Jeff has recently begun a series of works on paper, reinforcing and validating my own decision to work on paper.  We reveled in the distinct pleasure to be found in ripping the tape borders off upon completion!  If you work on paper, you know that feeling well!  Jeff has found, as have I, that in theory works on paper seem like they would come more fast and loose, but the work is the work and often creating a finished painting on paper takes as much time as painting on canvas or panel.

Another constant in Jeff’s practice is continually looking to and learning from the masters who have come before.  For instance, he began a painting based on a Claude Lorrain drawing, taken from one of the many books strewn about his studio.  Beginning with a sketch, he worked into the painting below and completely made it his own.

lorrain inspired sketch

proper & common- some of my best friends are nouns, oil on canvas, 60×72

Another lesson I took away from meeting with Jeff was the importance of pursuing what excites you and moves you, despite what may be trendy or popular.  Though his landscape work is popular and sells well, Jeff loves to paint monumental figures and quirky narratives.  It may take longer for these paintings to find their collectors, but once they do, he knows that they are collecting the work out of a passion for the visual story he is telling, a connection that doesn’t always exist with even the most beautiful landscape.

You can see more of Jeff’s work by visiting his website and following him on Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you, Jeffrey Beauchamp, for opening up your work and your studio.

Studio images by Artsy Forager.  Art images via the artist.