Jeffry Jon Krafft

History & Artistic Statement

​​

I’ve enjoyed the challenge of educating myself in various fields if and when possible throughout my life, and studying the art of painting has been no exception.  However, I do also possess a considerable amount of formal education as well including degrees in architectural design, construction management, and most recently, a masters degree in art education.  I have also been very fortunate to teach adults at numerous schools and art organizations through Chicago and Indiana the last 15 years; making teaching this craft to others another important aspect of my career. 

 

Having been a professional musician and occasional composer long before I took up painting, I later decided to offer collectors something a bit different - a multi-sensory experience where a music score and short story would accompany select paintings or prints. 

 

Last, the most recent endeavor has been in the area of educational television.  Not particularly satisfied with most televised how-to painting shows, I decided to produce something more helpful and practical for those serious about their own art education.  I began by producing a small cable show for Chicago Comcast, and later produced something more independently in order to maintain complete control over content, format, and artistic expression.  Often shot like a documentary film, the show is entitled “The Complete Painter” scheduled for PBS distribution late 2017’- early 2018’.

 

My personal career goals therefore include: producing museum quality paintings that impact the art world in a substantial and meaningful way, become “known” for the music and literature that accompany my paintings, and be considered a notable authority in the field of arts education thru television and other media.

 

As for the paintings themselves, because I personally enjoy the subject natter and styles of hundreds of other artists, the challenge of creating an equally diverse body of work myself is probably the single best attraction to becoming an artist in the first place.  This came about almost by accident – while working at an art gallery during my early days in school studying to be an architect.

 

From various styles in representational work, to concept art, and everything in-between, are all of interest to me.  Like music, I might create some works simply for the aesthetics – the mood or atmosphere desired within a particular space.  With other work, I hope it may engender some sort of a dialogue among viewers or serve as a form of social commentary.

 

I thoroughly enjoy taking on the challenge of creating all such things; and at the same time, offer more choices for my buyers.   Every artist has their own motivations and contributions to the art world.  But for myself, if producing artwork ever became a “routine”, painting in the same manor or subject day after day, I would just as soon do something else. 

 

Possessing the technical skills needed in producing a diverse body of work has another helpful advantage for those also working in education.  Long time instructors obviously influence many of our world’s future artists.  And an instructor may paint like one of our greatest masters, but if their skill set is limited to one style, technique or overall subject matter, their usefulness as an instructor is obviously limited.  Students end up replicating something that’s already been done, and are not portraying the world as it should be - through their own ”mind’s eye”.

 

However, if I had to choose a favorite category, I’ve always loved the great genre painters often seen in the world’s best classical museums.  These paintings usually portray the great majesty of nature, the creatures that live within it, or the beauty found in the human figure.   I spend the most time on work possessing some combination of these subjects.

 

Painting the beauty found in a world that is often inhumane or “ugly” is most satisfying and “good for ones soul”.  Visual artists have a unique advantage in this regard.  I realized a long time ago that people tend to appreciate things they often take for granted when those very same things are portrayed in a painting or sculpture.  It’s an odd, yet interesting phenomenon.  If artists ever abandoned this great tradition, I fear the world will rarely see what’s right outside their window; due to their head being glued to their “smart” phone.  So, I often use the visual arts as a means to remind people of the beauty and endless visual stimulations the world they live in has to offer. 

  

Lastly, I also believe professional artists inherit a certain amount of accountability to their patrons by constantly striving to grow and evolve creatively as an artist.  I myself hope to not only continue developing my technical skills, but more importantly, continue to pursue the countless avenues artists have in order to communicate.