When something causes us to question our perceptions - if only for a moment - we are often intrigued and thrilled. Influenced by Vermeer and inspired by Edward Hopper, American realist painter Eric Forstmann challenges us to look at the familiar with fresh eyes. Everyday items like kitchen stools are subject matter worthy of capture in his lustrous still lifes, more about light and form than the object at hand.

Eric Forstmann honors the technical expertise of the Old Masters but with a contemporary vision. He paints the mundane objects and vistas of his everyday life; however, his pear is not merely a pear and his clouds are not merely clouds. They are studies in the subtle interplay of form and light.

Preparing with five or six layers of gesso, Forstmann paints on masonite board rather than canvas. He uses a figure brush to sketch, then begins to fill in. As the work progresses, he uses smaller and smaller brushes, allowing him to achieve the high level of realism.

Forstmann’s work is found in numerous collections, including:

Litchfield Historical Museum, Litchfield, CT
New Jersey Center of the Visual Arts, Summit, NJ
Mr. And Mrs. Ben Heller, New York
Mr. Kevin Bacon, New York
Ms. Jill Clayburgh, Salisbury, CT
Ms. Jane Curtain, Salisbury, CT
Mr. And Mrs. Don Gummer, New York
Ms. Kyra Sedgwick, New York