Jeff Stern - June 2025
- arthubcambridge
- May 31
- 2 min read
How and where did your art practice begin?
An early memory of making art is at about 5 years old and something that I had
done received attention. Many years of working as a free-lance illustrator and graphic designer taught me a lot about success and failure. My attention and excitement continue today.
Where do you draw inspiration for your forms/designs?
Most of my art is derived from Wisconsin related subject matter and of course, light, color and composition. My work is more realistic than conceptual, and I generally work from my own resource material.
How do you plan your pieces and how do you decide when they’re finished?
Planning evolves throughout the entire creative process and production of a painting or drawing. Nothing goes as initially planned.
What draws you to your specific/preferred medium?
I work in pencil and pen, now mainly oil paint.
Who were your mentors or what resources did you use to learn your medium?
Mid-20th century American artists like Edward Hopper, George Bellows and John Stewart Curry have always attracted me, but I enjoy most well executed art from conceptual to realistic, with attention to technique. Also, I have been very fortunate to have had wonderful art teachers all the way through school and after.
What challenges does your medium or process present and how do you adjust for or react to those challenges as they arise?
A little like being on a sinking ship – figure out how you are going to save yourself. Simple projects don’t really ever happen.
What result can a finished piece or your process yield that makes you feel rewarded or proud?
A finished piece is usually very satisfying, but using my baseball analogy, it could be a single or a home run and sometimes I will not see it until I am finished, and I have painted over more than a few paintings. Growth comes with experience.
Where is your practice now, what is your focus, where is it growing?
To some extent, every piece is an experiment, there are always things to be learned. That stimulates and challenges me with all my work. If a painting keeps me excited, it will likely be a strong piece of art.
Upcoming events/sales/where can your work be purchased?
I am currently showing art at Art Hub, Paoli Road Mercantile, group shows with Wisconsin Visual Artists and several juried shows throughout the year and through my website.
How do community art spaces like Art Hub enhance your ability to make, distribute, and celebrate art?
A place like Art Hub provides a forum where people can experience various forms of artwork for enjoyment and ideally for purchase.
Facebook: Jeff Stern
Instagram: stern6671
I have participated in over 100 juried, solo and group exhibitions and have also received award recognition from at least 20 of them and over quite a few years have sold hundreds of painting & drawings.
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