Evan deSpelder is a painter and 2011 MFA graduate from the San Francisco Art Institute.
“Keep making that face and it will get stuck that way!” As a kid I often thought how terrible it would’ve been if my face actually froze forever with let’s say – stretched duck lips. Now however, Evan deSpelder’s paintings make me think otherwise…disfigurements are actually pretty awesome.
In order to achieve the smeared effect in his paintings, deSpelder first manipulates found or original photographs on the computer and then paints the distorted images as he sees them. This practice essentially bridges the gap between two worlds: that of modern technology and classical painting. It’s the “exploration of the formal and conceptual possibilities of digitally mediated painting,” says deSpelder. By often targeting recognizable images of the human form and portraiture, the artist skews our perception of reality and perfection.
For all you art buffs out there, I recommend taking a closer look at Image #3 titled Day at the Beach, 2011. Anyone recognize who these sun-soaked beach bums are? I got a kick out of it once I figured it out.
