Justin Teisl

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Justin Teisl attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, earning a BFA in painting and drawing in 2007. He left Milwaukee for San Francisco in 2008, where he lived, painted, and exhibited for years before relocating to Oakland in 2021.

Through his artwork Justin examines and questions the line between two and three dimensions, producing paintings with many layers of clear resin that separate layers of mostly acrylic paint. The bottom layers of his paintings are free flowing and abstract; Justin makes this happen by carefully combining different paints and mediums and resin and allowing gravity to subtly mix them together as they dry. This is in contrast to the top layers, where he meticulously renders his imagery in great detail.

Landscapes are central to Justin’s paintings. He’s compelled to recreate realistic images from the parks and natural settings near him, but seeks to build and present these images in new ways. The result is a combined exercise in realism and abstraction that relies on experimentation, problem solving, and patience.