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Subtraction
Rather than building up story elements to build narrative, in these works I seek to subtract. The fictional arc is
the starting point, and details are progressively removed. Narrative is boiled down, reduced, distilled.
Background details are suppressed, with little indication of setting. Faces averted, the figures themselves seek
anonymity. In some cases, even sections of paint have been omitted. And yet, even with such scant information
provided, and perhaps because of it, the images are highly charged and rich with possibility. The viewer is
willingly recruited to supply details from their own perspectives, their own experiences – to begin the process of
building the story anew.
An Endless Succession of Moments / The Vast Remainder
In these paintings are captured, in bright, brief flashes, complex emotion and intense intimacy. With minimal
visual information provided, to the viewer is left the imperative of exploring the vast remainder. From a movie still
is extrapolated a full film of character, pacing, plot and script. From a paragraph, an entire novel. From a brief
encounter, a lifetime of histories and potentialities. From a single windowpane spreads a wide, complicated
landscape. From one charged moment, the story extends infinitely in all directions.
As in memory, all is viewed in snapshots, in glimpses. Complex narratives, transformative events, entire lifetimes,
boiled down to these singular points in time.
The Fundamental Forces
We go through our lives acting on our assumption of free will, while all the while being bombarded with influence
from other internal and external forces. Often, our personal stimuli - memories, inspiration, longing, lust - seem to
come from somewhere outside ourselves, outside our control. Even our dreams are involuntary and un-
tethered. The passage of time and tug of gravity on our fragile physical selves weigh heavy and infuse our most
optimistic and hopeful endeavors with the faint tang of futility and temporality. Any effort, toward outcomes both
positive and negative, depends more than we care to admit on the cooperation of unknown strangers, indifferent
physics, and the arbitrary nature of chance.
Works on Wood
Wood, I have found, is an ideal partner to oil paint. Because the wood is porous and absorbent, with inherent
grain and flaws, it alternately resists and drinks in the oil medium. This creates the most wonderful and
unpredictable effects. The grain adds depth and texture behind flat blocks of translucent color. The wood
always asserts itself in some way, regardless of the treatment of the image or the density of paint application. I
often leave fields of unaltered wood in the work - a dry, natural section that provides an interesting contrast to the
slick feel of the painted areas.
The use of wood in my work has also allowed me to break out of the flat rectangle. Independence from the
stretched canvas leads me to work with irregular shapes, to cut contours, to pierce the surface plane.
Emotionally, works on wood give the feeling of permanence, of weight and solidity, of the painting as object. My
work explores the relationship between this structural, architectural ground, and the organic, plastic qualities of
the medium and image.
Pattern Elements
The pattern elements in my work serve as a sort of undercurrent. The metaphorical, the metaphysical. The
subliminal, the subconscious. The passage of time, unspoken connections, a sense of place. With the
comparatively concrete elements, like figure, the combination produces an interesting duality: the visual
equivalent of the said and the unsaid, text and subtext.
Eroticism
Much of my work brandishes a sort of ambiguous eroticism – a vaguely (and sometimes not-so-vaguely) sexual
tension that shows through even the most neutral imagery. The multiple figures which populate many of my
recent works share narratives that are compelling but not quite overt, encouraging the viewer to project their own
stories and points of view into their interpretations.
Rather than building up story elements to build narrative, in these works I seek to subtract. The fictional arc is
the starting point, and details are progressively removed. Narrative is boiled down, reduced, distilled.
Background details are suppressed, with little indication of setting. Faces averted, the figures themselves seek
anonymity. In some cases, even sections of paint have been omitted. And yet, even with such scant information
provided, and perhaps because of it, the images are highly charged and rich with possibility. The viewer is
willingly recruited to supply details from their own perspectives, their own experiences – to begin the process of
building the story anew.
An Endless Succession of Moments / The Vast Remainder
In these paintings are captured, in bright, brief flashes, complex emotion and intense intimacy. With minimal
visual information provided, to the viewer is left the imperative of exploring the vast remainder. From a movie still
is extrapolated a full film of character, pacing, plot and script. From a paragraph, an entire novel. From a brief
encounter, a lifetime of histories and potentialities. From a single windowpane spreads a wide, complicated
landscape. From one charged moment, the story extends infinitely in all directions.
As in memory, all is viewed in snapshots, in glimpses. Complex narratives, transformative events, entire lifetimes,
boiled down to these singular points in time.
The Fundamental Forces
We go through our lives acting on our assumption of free will, while all the while being bombarded with influence
from other internal and external forces. Often, our personal stimuli - memories, inspiration, longing, lust - seem to
come from somewhere outside ourselves, outside our control. Even our dreams are involuntary and un-
tethered. The passage of time and tug of gravity on our fragile physical selves weigh heavy and infuse our most
optimistic and hopeful endeavors with the faint tang of futility and temporality. Any effort, toward outcomes both
positive and negative, depends more than we care to admit on the cooperation of unknown strangers, indifferent
physics, and the arbitrary nature of chance.
Works on Wood
Wood, I have found, is an ideal partner to oil paint. Because the wood is porous and absorbent, with inherent
grain and flaws, it alternately resists and drinks in the oil medium. This creates the most wonderful and
unpredictable effects. The grain adds depth and texture behind flat blocks of translucent color. The wood
always asserts itself in some way, regardless of the treatment of the image or the density of paint application. I
often leave fields of unaltered wood in the work - a dry, natural section that provides an interesting contrast to the
slick feel of the painted areas.
The use of wood in my work has also allowed me to break out of the flat rectangle. Independence from the
stretched canvas leads me to work with irregular shapes, to cut contours, to pierce the surface plane.
Emotionally, works on wood give the feeling of permanence, of weight and solidity, of the painting as object. My
work explores the relationship between this structural, architectural ground, and the organic, plastic qualities of
the medium and image.
Pattern Elements
The pattern elements in my work serve as a sort of undercurrent. The metaphorical, the metaphysical. The
subliminal, the subconscious. The passage of time, unspoken connections, a sense of place. With the
comparatively concrete elements, like figure, the combination produces an interesting duality: the visual
equivalent of the said and the unsaid, text and subtext.
Eroticism
Much of my work brandishes a sort of ambiguous eroticism – a vaguely (and sometimes not-so-vaguely) sexual
tension that shows through even the most neutral imagery. The multiple figures which populate many of my
recent works share narratives that are compelling but not quite overt, encouraging the viewer to project their own
stories and points of view into their interpretations.
Artist Jeffrey Palladini was born in the Chicago area, and grew up in Southern California. He studied Art at
California State University, Long Beach, where he explored a wide variety of media, eventually gravitating toward
drawing and painting. It wasn't until his studies in Florence, Italy in 1989 that he began to form a consistent
creative voice. The ubiquitous beauty of art in everyday life in Italy had a profound effect on the young artist,
and he began to experiment with combining the found objects and classical figurative imagery he found
everywhere around him. From that time, Palladini has considered canvas simply too passive, and has continued
to employ wood almost exclusively as the ground for his paintings.
In 1991, Palladini relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he lives and works along with his wife and
young daughter. He continues to develop his unique vocabulary of dramatic imagery.
Jeffrey Palladini has exhibited his work around the United States for nearly twenty years. His work is included in
numerous private and corporate collections. He is represented by Sandra Lee Gallery in San Francisco, Gallery
IMA in Seattle, Elisa Contemporary Art in New York, Obsidian 128 Gallery in Arizona, and Brian Marki Fine Art in
Portland, Oregon.
California State University, Long Beach, where he explored a wide variety of media, eventually gravitating toward
drawing and painting. It wasn't until his studies in Florence, Italy in 1989 that he began to form a consistent
creative voice. The ubiquitous beauty of art in everyday life in Italy had a profound effect on the young artist,
and he began to experiment with combining the found objects and classical figurative imagery he found
everywhere around him. From that time, Palladini has considered canvas simply too passive, and has continued
to employ wood almost exclusively as the ground for his paintings.
In 1991, Palladini relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he lives and works along with his wife and
young daughter. He continues to develop his unique vocabulary of dramatic imagery.
Jeffrey Palladini has exhibited his work around the United States for nearly twenty years. His work is included in
numerous private and corporate collections. He is represented by Sandra Lee Gallery in San Francisco, Gallery
IMA in Seattle, Elisa Contemporary Art in New York, Obsidian 128 Gallery in Arizona, and Brian Marki Fine Art in
Portland, Oregon.
EDUCATION
California State University, Long Beach, BA Art 1990
Florence, Italy, Studio Art Studies through Richmond College, London, 1989
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2010 "Subtraction", Solo exhibition, Gallery IMA, Seattle, Washington
2010 "Reflections: Figures and Portraits from Contemporary Artists", Elisa Contemporary Art, New York
2010 "Recent Work: Jeffrey Palladini", Solo exhibition, Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
2009 Inaugural Exhibition, Obsidian 128 Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
2009 "The Vast Remainder", Solo exhibition, Sam the Butcher Contemporary Art, Ross, California
2009 "Modest Masterpieces", Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
2009 "Exploration & Celebration", Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
2009 "An Endless Succession of Moments", Solo exhibition, Gallery IMA, Seattle, Washington
2007 "The Fundamental Forces", Solo exhibition, Crome Architecture, San Rafael, California
2007 "the Brat Pack", The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2006 “Undercurrents”, Two-person exhibition, Brian Marki Fine Art, Portland, Oregon
2006 “Unspoken Connections”, Solo exhibition, The Lowe Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2005 The Lowe Gallery 16th Anniversary Show, The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2005 Solo Exhibition, The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2004 Group Exhibition, The Lowe Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2004 “Pattern & Decoration”, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
2004 2004 Biennial Exhibition, Brad Cooper Gallery, Tampa, Florida
2003 “Random Thoughts”, Lankershim Art Center, North Hollywood, California
2003 2003 National Juried Exhibition, Artisans, Mill Valley, California
2003 2003 Annual Juried Exhibition of Marin Artists, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, California
2002 “New Visions: Introductions”, Pro-Arts, Oakland, California
2002 2002 Annual Juried Exhibition of Marin Artists, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, California
2001 16th Annual Juried Show, Gallery Route One, Point Reyes Station, California
2000 “New Voices – New Visions”, Gallery Bergelli, Larkspur, California
2000 70th Annual Statewide Exhibit, Santa Cruz Art League Gallery, Santa Cruz, California
2000 31st 2-Dimensional Competition, San Jose Center for the Visual Arts, San Jose, California
2000 “Man/Woman: Viewpoints”, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, California
2000 “Arts on Fire, 2000”, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, California
1999 14th Annual Juried Show, Gallery Route One, Point Reyes Station, California
1997 MatrixArts International Exhibition, MatrixArts, Sacramento, California
1996 1996 Annual Juried Exhibition of Marin Artists, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, California
1996 1996 Annual Juried Exhibition, Peninsula Art Association Gallery, Foster City, California
1992 First Annual H.G. Daniels Juried Exhibition, Lankershim Art Center, North Hollywood, California
First Place Award
1991 35th Annual International Award Exhibition, San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, California
REPRESENTATION
Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
Gallery IMA, Seattle, Washington
Elisa Contemporary Art, New York
Obsidian 128, Tucson, Arizona
Brian Marki Fine Art, Portland, Oregon
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2010 Catalogue, "Recent Work: Jeffrey Palladini"
2009 Catalogue, "The Vast Remainder"
2009 Catalogue, "An Endless Succession of Moments"
2007 Marin Magazine, Snap Section, November issue
2007 Merge Magazine, “An Average Interview: Beyond Average Commentary on Fine Art in L.A."
by Brian Donohoe
2006 Catalogue, “Unspoken Connections”, with essay by critic and curator Peter Frank
California State University, Long Beach, BA Art 1990
Florence, Italy, Studio Art Studies through Richmond College, London, 1989
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2010 "Subtraction", Solo exhibition, Gallery IMA, Seattle, Washington
2010 "Reflections: Figures and Portraits from Contemporary Artists", Elisa Contemporary Art, New York
2010 "Recent Work: Jeffrey Palladini", Solo exhibition, Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
2009 Inaugural Exhibition, Obsidian 128 Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
2009 "The Vast Remainder", Solo exhibition, Sam the Butcher Contemporary Art, Ross, California
2009 "Modest Masterpieces", Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
2009 "Exploration & Celebration", Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
2009 "An Endless Succession of Moments", Solo exhibition, Gallery IMA, Seattle, Washington
2007 "The Fundamental Forces", Solo exhibition, Crome Architecture, San Rafael, California
2007 "the Brat Pack", The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2006 “Undercurrents”, Two-person exhibition, Brian Marki Fine Art, Portland, Oregon
2006 “Unspoken Connections”, Solo exhibition, The Lowe Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2005 The Lowe Gallery 16th Anniversary Show, The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2005 Solo Exhibition, The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2004 Group Exhibition, The Lowe Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2004 “Pattern & Decoration”, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
2004 2004 Biennial Exhibition, Brad Cooper Gallery, Tampa, Florida
2003 “Random Thoughts”, Lankershim Art Center, North Hollywood, California
2003 2003 National Juried Exhibition, Artisans, Mill Valley, California
2003 2003 Annual Juried Exhibition of Marin Artists, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, California
2002 “New Visions: Introductions”, Pro-Arts, Oakland, California
2002 2002 Annual Juried Exhibition of Marin Artists, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, California
2001 16th Annual Juried Show, Gallery Route One, Point Reyes Station, California
2000 “New Voices – New Visions”, Gallery Bergelli, Larkspur, California
2000 70th Annual Statewide Exhibit, Santa Cruz Art League Gallery, Santa Cruz, California
2000 31st 2-Dimensional Competition, San Jose Center for the Visual Arts, San Jose, California
2000 “Man/Woman: Viewpoints”, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, California
2000 “Arts on Fire, 2000”, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, California
1999 14th Annual Juried Show, Gallery Route One, Point Reyes Station, California
1997 MatrixArts International Exhibition, MatrixArts, Sacramento, California
1996 1996 Annual Juried Exhibition of Marin Artists, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, California
1996 1996 Annual Juried Exhibition, Peninsula Art Association Gallery, Foster City, California
1992 First Annual H.G. Daniels Juried Exhibition, Lankershim Art Center, North Hollywood, California
First Place Award
1991 35th Annual International Award Exhibition, San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, California
REPRESENTATION
Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, California
Gallery IMA, Seattle, Washington
Elisa Contemporary Art, New York
Obsidian 128, Tucson, Arizona
Brian Marki Fine Art, Portland, Oregon
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2010 Catalogue, "Recent Work: Jeffrey Palladini"
2009 Catalogue, "The Vast Remainder"
2009 Catalogue, "An Endless Succession of Moments"
2007 Marin Magazine, Snap Section, November issue
2007 Merge Magazine, “An Average Interview: Beyond Average Commentary on Fine Art in L.A."
by Brian Donohoe
2006 Catalogue, “Unspoken Connections”, with essay by critic and curator Peter Frank
| jeffrey palladini jpalladini@comcast.net (415) 385-6959 |