Randall Stoltzfus

Randall Stoltzfus's abstract paintings, composed of multiple hand-painted circles, depict luminous and vivid landscapes. A devotee to nature, Stoltzfus deconstructs the physical components of an environment to reveal the spiritual life within it. As a result, his works contain both figurative and abstract elements. Within his paintings, Stoltzfus uses oil paint and mixed such as gold leaf and aluminum to create color and movement. Stoltzfus also manipulates contrast to express light. By applying multiple layers of lighter colors, he creates an effect where light seems to emanate from within the painting. What's impressive is Stoltzfus's meticulous technique of painting hundreds of circles by hand in order to develop his compositions. As he claims, hand-painting the circles allows imperfect shapes and reveals patterns that are special to the eye; the viewer is able to look past the painting and experience the colors taking on a life of their own. Stoltzfus's paintings are an impressive feat as they manipulate basic elements such as color, shape, and light in order to immerse the viewer into a surreal visual experience.

Randall Stoltzfus was born in 1971 and raised in rural Virginia. He studied painting at American University in Washington, DC. Since then his work has been shown internationally, including solo exhibitions in New York, Virginia, and in Italy, where he was an artist in residence at an active psychiatric hospital. His work is in several public collections, including the Centro Pari Opportunitá (Palazzo Penna, Perugia, Italy), Alliance Bernstein (New York, NY), and the DC Council on the Arts and Humanities (Washington, DC) as well as numerous private collections.