Jacob A. Pfeiffer “Mixing Metaphors” | Solo Exhibition
Jacob A. Pfeiffer “Mixing Metaphors” | Solo Exhibition
October 11 - 17, 2019
on the cover: Tipping the Scales oil 30x24
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.
For his solo exhibition, “Mixing Metaphors,� Wisconsin artist Jacob Pfeiffer layers visual puns, idiomatic expressions and humorous wordplay into his tightly rendered still life paintings. Accurate and purposeful compositions reveal bold colors, seemingly tangible textures and juxtaposed patterns while the artist invites the viewer to decipher his mixed messages or underlying narratives.
Carrot Cake oil 14x11
“The Mixing Metaphors concept enters from the fact that many of my paintings have a deeper narrative meaning that may not be evident at first blush. Many involve metaphor, visual pun and idiomatic expressions. I also like the idea that I am mixing paint and metaphors in my work.� -Jacob A. Pfeiffer
Birds of a Feather oil 11x11 and Water oil 16x20
on the previous page: Oil
Sugar Cube oil 10x8
“In the painting Daily Dilemma, I wanted to place similarly shaped objects next to each other to create an interesting composition. Although the shapes are similar, the two items could not be more different. This piece is a metaphor for all sorts of life decisions. Do we take the left turn at the fork in the road or do we take the right? Short term satisfaction or delayed gratification? Or simply, making healthy choices. I wanted to have a little fun with an important universal topic.� - J.A.P
Daily Dilemma oil 12x10
Pfeiffer’s visual wordplays create a guessing game for the viewer as we decipher the artist’s message from an odd combination of imagery. A glance at the painting’s title, however, usually reveals Pfeiffer’s intended message; for example, a painting of apples suspended above a blue crab is titled, “Crab Apples,” while painted pieces of candy balanced on stacked stones is called, “Rock Candy.”
Crab Apples oil 18x14 Book Worm V oil 18x24
on the previous page:
Rock Candy oil 9x12
“In Tipping the Scales, I am trying to create a sense of “the calm before the storm,” as the bowling ball comes crashing down on the scale. I am incorporating a few layers of word play and visual puns; in the bowling ball I tried to create a swirling stormy coloration, similar to the eye of Jupiter. This “storm" is of course what will be creating the destruction and chaos at the moment of impact. If you continue to dig deeper, you will see there are multiple types of "scales" in this piece as well. The scales on the hapless fish, the vintage scale and the peeling or scaling paint on the box that the objects are resting on.” - J.A.P.
Tipping the Scales oil 30x24
Sweet and Sour oil 20x24
Plums oil 14x11
Sweet Stack oil 6.25x6.25
on the previous page: Cheese
Cake oil 8x10
Bulbous oil 12x12
“In this painting, I wanted to create the sense that the apple and orange were having a discussion or conversation. The idiom of comparing apples to oranges is at play with the subject matter, but the underlying narrative is, what are the two fruits are debating? Could it be what matters most? Core issues (i.e apple core) or Wedge issues (ie. orange wedge)? Could they be having a "juicy" discussion? The viewers can decide for themselves.� -J.A.P.
The Great Debate oil 8x10
Jacob A. Pfeiffer
| “Mixing Metaphors” | Solo Exhibition
Carrot Cake
14x11
$4,200
Oil and Water
16x20
$6,800
Birds of a Feather
11x11
$3,800
Sugar Cube
10x8
$3,200
Daily Dilemma
12x10
$3,800
Book Worm V
18x24
$7,500
Crab Apples
18x14
$6,000
Rock Candy
9x12
$3,200
Tipping the Scales
30x24
$14,000
Sweet and Sour
20x24
$9,500
Plums
14x11
$4,200
Cheese Cake
8x10
$3,200
Sweet Stack
6.25x6.25
$1,800
Bulbous
12x12
$4,200
The Great Debate
8x10
$3,200
Sweet Tooth
10x8
$3,200
Jacob A. Pfeiffer 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
EDUCATION: Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Milwaukee, WI University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, BS in Art Education, 1996 SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 2017-19 Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2015 Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2013 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
Jacob A. Pfeiffer
Sweet Tooth oil 10x8
“Mixing Metaphors” | Solo Exhibition October 11 - 17, 2019 Artist Reception: Friday, October 11, 2019 | 5-7pm
225 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico | 505.983.1434 | www.meyergalleries.com | meyersfnm@aol.com