Mission Arts: Why are you an Artist?
Chris Leib: My father is an incredible artist, and I am very competitive. But it also became like an addiction. Once I started, I never wanted to do anything else. In college I studied anthropology and thought about applying to grad school, but I got hired as an artist by a local company. From then on I rejected all notions that I was supposed to do anything else. It is just something I have to do. I don’t like to be away from painting, even for a few days.
MA: Tell us more about your paintings?
CL: I got into tech art in the early 90s, but it lacked the sensuality of painting. At first I was an adherent of Reconstructionism, deconstructing and then reconstructing culturally significant forms. It appealed to me because I had a visceral reaction to all the conceptual art that was going on at that time. But eventually I found working beneath a label very constraining. Over the last couple of years I’ve returned to fundamental painting. My current pieces are still lifes and figures, they examine the contrivance behind the genre. So I guess there is a nod to theory.
MA: Is the subject important to you or do you simply paint to express yourself?
CL: The subject is important to anyone doing realist work. In both what I am drawn to portray and the message I want to convey, the subject plays a vital role. Usually I’m drawn to worn or broken subjects because they bear the evidence of their existence, epistemological and often anthropological evidence. But I think these two issues, subject and self-expression, are intertwined for any realist painter. What choices I make in subject, how I paint it, the lighting, the mood, these are all expressions of the self. “It is not what you paint but how you paint it” is true, but I cannot say that what I am drawn to paint is not influenced by my methods of painting; I cannot say whether my methods have predisposed me to certain subjects. I think they have evolved together. So I can only answer this by saying that subject and expression are interconnected.
MA: What artists have influenced you and how?
CL: Many of the old masters, Rembrandt and Breugal, especially. Rembrandt for many reasons, but especially the surface quality of his works ..and his light, of course. A painter should be influenced by him, whether he/she is a realist or abstract painter. His greatest works are the perfect synthesis of opposites, static detail amidst chaos, color amidst dullness, struggle known only by its juxtaposition to ease. When I saw his painting “Jewish Bride,” I felt it was the greatest painting ever done. It had everything. But there is also Ribera, Da Vinci, Van Eyck, Ingres, Dutch Icon painters.. the list is long. I am also a great fan of Andrew Wyeth. I love his compostions and the quietness in his work. It is also odd for me to say this but Cezanne’s notions of perspective have been very influential, though my use of them is obviously much more tempered.
MA: What inspires you to paint and how do you keep motivated?
CL: When the work fights with me, I know I am on to a good piece then. I just have to solve the problem, I can’t let it go until I’ve turned it into something worthwhile. When it starts off with a struggle I become even more determined to turn it around and make it the best piece yet. When I’m not feeling motivated, I’ve learned to not worry about it. Inspiration usually comes when you stop putting all your thoughts and energy into searching for it. Having a lot to work on at any time also helps. Something always needs to get done. Since I work in the old traditions, each piece takes some time, I need to have a lot of pieces going at once, otherwise I’m just watching paint dry.
MA: How have you handled the business side of being an artist?
CL: I had a number of problems when I started out, but it gave me the opportunity to learn a great deal about contracts and law. Now I’m very careful. I came to realize that you have to be on top of as much as you can, but not obsess over the small stuff. I also appreciate my clients, I don’t take them for granted. Because art is such a personal thing, you can really form some great business and client relationships, that are far more special than if you were selling, say, tires.
MA: What advice would you give an artist just starting out?
CL: Unless you really love this and feel compelled to do this, don’t go into it. If you do, take the time to explore and learn. Keep your life simple, so you can spend most of your time developing your art.
MA: What do you do for fun (besides painting)?
CL: Draw.
By Chris Leib (Oil on Canvas) 10 x 8 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum.
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By Chirs Leib (Graphite) 12 x 11 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum.
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By Chris Leib (Graphite) 16 x 16 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum. Nam ac tempor metus. Fusce id tempus libero. Donec nec ipsum ornare, mattis est at, placerat est. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam elit lorem, egestas quis volutpat a, tincidunt id metus. Maecenas at ante risus. Quisque euismod turpis erat, non sodales tellus venenatis id. Aliquam iaculis nibh justo, ut eleifend eros pulvinar interdum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst.
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By Chris Leib (Graphite) 6 x 8 Inches
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By Chris Leib (Graphite) 6 x 8 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum. Nam ac tempor metus. Fusce id tempus libero. Donec nec ipsum ornare, mattis est at, placerat est. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam elit lorem, egestas quis volutpat a, tincidunt id metus. Maecenas at ante risus. Quisque euismod turpis erat, non sodales tellus venenatis id. Aliquam iaculis nibh justo, ut eleifend eros pulvinar interdum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst.
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By Chris Leib (Oil on Canvas) 14 x 18 Inches
This unusual still-life appeared in the 2010 film, Limbo Lounge.
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By Chris Leib (Oil on Canvas) 11 x 20 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum. Nam ac tempor metus. Fusce id tempus libero. Donec nec ipsum ornare, mattis est at, placerat est. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam elit lorem, egestas quis volutpat a, tincidunt id metus. Maecenas at ante risus. Quisque euismod turpis erat, non sodales tellus venenatis id. Aliquam iaculis nibh justo, ut eleifend eros pulvinar interdum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst.
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By Chris Leib (Oil on Canvas) 6 x 8 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum.
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By Laurie Kersey (Graphite) 12 x 16 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum. Nam ac tempor metus. Fusce id tempus libero. Donec nec ipsum ornare, mattis est at, placerat est. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam elit lorem, egestas quis volutpat a, tincidunt id metus. Maecenas at ante risus. Quisque euismod turpis erat, non sodales tellus venenatis id. Aliquam iaculis nibh justo, ut eleifend eros pulvinar interdum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst.
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By Chris Leib (Oil on Canvas) 11 x 14 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum.
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By Chris Leib (Oil on Canvas) 18 x 17 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum. Nam ac tempor metus. Fusce id tempus libero. Donec nec ipsum ornare, mattis est at, placerat est. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam elit lorem, egestas quis volutpat a, tincidunt id metus. Maecenas at ante risus. Quisque euismod turpis erat, non sodales tellus venenatis id. Aliquam iaculis nibh justo, ut eleifend eros pulvinar interdum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst.
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By Chris Leib (Oil on Canvas) 14 x 13 Inches
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum pulvinar risus at nisl consectetur, vel dapibus lacus euismod. In vitae orci non urna venenatis posuere. Maecenas et fermentum turpis. Suspendisse in nunc sem. Morbi dapibus sem nec mi accumsan, et tincidunt nisl pellentesque. Suspendisse sed nulla a est cursus consequat. Curabitur elementum orci ut ligula dignissim, in egestas purus vestibulum.
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And an interview by London based “Think-Work-Play”
Think-Work-Play: Your work is highly photorealistic. Has your style been drawn from classical painters?
Chris Leib: I reference a lot of Northern icon and early Renaissance works in my paintings and want the style to reflect that. I use photos and other reference as a starting point, but the majority of each painting is done from imagination. The realistic qualities are the result of slowly building form through layers of oil paint.
TWP: Which artists have you drawn inspiration from?
CL: Van Eyck, Van der Weyden, and Otto Dix.
TWP: Many of your works are still life, do you find yourself being inspired by many objects?
CL: I haven’t painted any still life for a few years. I’ve been focused on a series of narrative paintings for several years now. Much of the new work has been inspired by the Cold War era Soviet and American space programs.
TWP: What has been the strangest object that you have been drawn to?
CL: Years ago an artist friend of mine would joke that she had an artistic super hero name: ‘Vermilion… something-another’. She agreed to sit for a portrait. So I found a vermilion red hooded sweatshirt for her to wear for the painting. I even mixed up a nice vermilion paint too. Then she kept having to cancel sittings. I decided to start the painting without her, and took bubble wrap and stuffed the sweatshirt to make a sort of ‘stand in’ model until she returned. The sweatshirt looked really intriguing on its own, so I ended up painting it instead. Anyways, ‘Vermilion’ didn’t show up for anymore sittings. Eventually, though, we got married.
TWP: Is there a central theme to your work?
CL: I’ve been working on a series of Cosmonauts and Astronauts invading early Renaissance landscapes. It’s called ‘Sabotaging Eden.’ Sort of a derailed future run amok in the ‘Garden’.
TWP: What inspires you to get up in the morning and get creative?
CL: It just so happens that the best coffee in NY is right around the corner. That’s a great incentive. Show deadlines are also a great incentive. The worst situation I find is finishing everything for a show and having an empty studio. I purposefully start a lot of pieces, and always have several in various stages of completion. If I get tired of one painting, I move to another and start detailing skin pores. I know some people who like to work on one painting at a time, from start to finish. It doesn’t work for me at all. Knowing that there’s something that always needs to get finished keeps me going.
TWP: Has there ever been a time when you wished you had a 9-5?
CL: I’ve had a few 9 to 5 jobs. I have an allergic reaction to team play and try to avoid that.
TWP: What creative from history do you most admire? Why?
CL: Of course there are many, but at this time, Otto Dix. He’s like creative viagra.
TWP: Is there a special place for you that you like to go to think, work and play?
CL: I spend a lot of time in my studio, so most thinking, working, and playing is done there.
TWP: THINK – where do you come up with your ideas, is there a special place or do random places spring up best ideas – examples?
CL: I often come up with ideas on the subway. There’s an inward migration when you are trying to avoid eye contact. I’m less inclined toward self censorship when I’m preoccupied shutting out distractions.
TWP: WORK – where is your studio, or work place?
CL: Bushwick, in Brooklyn. TWP: PLAY – unwind, party – do you have a favourite place?
CL: I prefer working, it’s very much play for me. Everything else actually feels more like work. Having a coffee or beer with friends is nice too.
TWP: What is next for you?
CL: A show in Denmark. Stay tuned…
Studio apprentice of Professor Roberto Lupetti, ’94-’95.
Academy of Art College, San Francisco, ’93, ‘96.
Fine Art. San Francisco State University, ’92. Interactive computer art, conceptual design, painting with Robert Bechtle.
Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology, honors, University of California at Berkeley, ’89.
SOLO EXHIBITS
2009 Becoming Worthwhile, Cain Schulte Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany
2005 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2004 San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco, CA
2002 PEARceived, Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2001 Parables, Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2000 Downey Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2008
Bedtime Stories, Mina Dresden Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Drawing, realist works on paper, A.Mus Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2007
Selections 2007, 111 Minna Street Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Jurors: Gabe Scott, Curator at 111 Minna Gallery, Eleanor Harwood of the Eleanor Harwood Gallery, and Rene de Guzman, Visual Arts Director at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
In Real Time: the Artists of Studio 212, Mina Dresden Gallery, San Francisco, CA
4th Annual Juried Exhibition, Art League of Northern California, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Juror: Chester Arnold. Novato, CA
The Art of the Book, Donna Seager Gallery, San Rafael, CA
Landscapes, Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
2006
Delicious, Donna Seager Gallery, San Rafael, CA
Landscapes, Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
Bay Area Annual 2006, Sanchez Art Center, Juror: Karen Kienzle, Curator, de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, CA
Chronicle Boxes, DeYoung Museum, San Francisco, CA
Creative Justice, Kendrick Hall, USF School of Law, CA
The Art of the Book, Donna Seager Gallery, San Rafael, CA
2005
Urban Landscape, Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
Novis Disk Corp, PA
Eclectic, Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
Galerie Saphir, Paris/Dinard, France
Art for Aids, Sotherby’s West, San Francisco, CA
2004
After Dark, two-person show, Pringle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Eclectic, Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
Art for Aids, Sotheby’s West, San Francisco, CA
2003
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA Winfield Gallery, Carmel, CA
Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
Art for Aids, Sotheby’s West, San Francisco, CA
Groundswell Mural Project Auction, White Columns Gallery, NYC, NY
Gold Frame Re-Mix, curated by Oliver Rosenthal, San Francisco, CA
2002
de corps dans tous ses etats, Galerie Saphir, Dinard, France
Winfield Gallery, Carmel, CA
Eclectic, Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art Gallery, Santa Fe NM
2001
New Dialogues, Michael Martin Galleries, San Francisco, CA
Artifacts and Figures, Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art Gallery, Santa Fe NM
Fresh, Gallery 22, San Francisco, CA
Introduction, Hat Factory Artist’s Salon, Gallery 22, San Francisco, CA
2000
Sustainability, San Francisco Art Center Project, San Francisco, CA
Downey Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2008 Artist Residency, Kimball Gallery, De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2007 San Francisco Arts Commission, Individual Artist’s Grant for “Relative Connections,” a collaborative work with artist, Laura Parker
George Sugarman Foundation Inc. Grant for individual artists, 2007
2006 Artist demonstration, DeYoung Museum, San Francisco, CA
2003 Exhibit and demonstration in conjunction with the exhibit, Leonardo and the Splendor of Poland, Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA
2001 Co-Founder and Legal Liaison, The Hat Factory Artist’s Collective.
2000 Artist in Residence, DeYoung Museum, San Francisco, CA