jeff claassen

Jeff Claassen is a contemporary artist based in San Luis Obispo, California. Known for his unique layering processes, bold use of color, and the inclusion of urban art techniques such as spray paint, drips and stencils in his work. Painting professionally since 1999, his style has evolved from drawing on paper, and painting/screen-printing on canvas, to his current mixed media approach of paint, paper and wood; combining elements in multiple layers under an epoxy resin coating. The high gloss layering process adds both dimension and durability to the pieces while lending the appearance of a fragile layer of glass. Pieces range in scale from 5" x 5” squares to 6'x30’ murals.

His first public showing, held in a small apartment in San Luis Obispo in October, 1999- aptly titled “The Apartment Show”, proved a minor success and prompted him to relocate to the more contemporary art scene in Los Angeles, CA. After four years spent participating in frequent “group shows” throughout the city, he returned to San Luis Obispo. Unique, amidst an art-scene, which caters to landscapes, vineyards, and conservative patrons- “The Jeff Claassen Gallery” opened in 2004. The vibrant, urban-inspired, and attainably priced work appealed to both the youth and student population, as well as local collectors of contemporary work; a demographic which had been largely ignored in the area. The gamble paid off when what began in a tiny, former hotel room above the city’s bustling Higuera Street, expanded to double its original size within a year. In two years’ time the gallery would relocate to its current street-level address at 1118 Morro Street. While his gallery has become a touch point for both the contemporary crowd of Central California, and more recently, for the up-and-coming young artists he admires, his own work has been showcased in galleries throughout the US, and his products have expanded to include limited-edition prints, clothing, books, and hand-made wallets.

Visit Claassen's site at jeffclaassen.com
Purchase Claassen art and products at jeffclaassen.etsy.com