Biography
Jean-Pierre Stauffer 1927-1994, artist painter from the Switzerland school. He attended studies at Lausanne his training, as a graph designer and lithographer later he studied at the school of fine arts in La Chaux-de-Fonds as a graphic designer and since 1970 he devoted his efforts to painting.
As a talented graphic designer ,jean pierre stauffer focused his efforts on painting since 1970.and from 1972 to 1981, he moved to Provence (south of France )
From 1981 to his death on november 1994 , he livedin his beautiful house in la sarraz not far from Lausanne.
Jean-Pierre Brissot Stauffer interviewed by Nina-Carrel
Jean-Pierre Stauffer was interviewed by Nina Brissot –Carrel when he was arranging an exhition at Annie Chevalley ‘s gallery in autumn 1993.
His taste for drawing led him to choose a job that involves a possibility to practise his art as a graphic designer – lithographer
« If Ididn’t paint I think I couln’t do any thing else ! All my looks , allmy thoughts , all my visions are transferred to painting. My thinking ha become so cute that my eye turned to an analytic agent. An object , a landscape ‘a mere habit an I say : Yes I could do this ,or, no ,this will not suit because of its shape , its colour …I never dreamt of anything else than being a painter.
I started drawing /sketching horses when I was only four or five years old .
I always paint each canvas in wait requires an extra detail , a continuation , a follow up I work on fifteenor twenty subjects at the same time and I spend from 15 to 30 minutes per canvas , no more. The more days elapse the shorter sequences are. All of a sudden : all comes over the work is finished !»
His work is of a great sensitivity , Stauffer ‘s painting painting is full of strong emotions and a great gentleness.His landscapes are overloaded with shadows , with buildings set against sunrises or sunsets that are really bathed in completeness. There is no aggressive feature, no dominating tint.
Curves, lines ,figures reflect an inner peace of mind coming out of this work providing it with a particular dimension. His snow landscapes are extremely impressive.
Painting white tint on a white canvas, is a challenge that "I rally enjoy being involved in, to better pay homage to it , I try to get closer to nature.
« I overspread a gray and brown foundation on a blank canvas ,- the foundation is actually an earth-base mixture – then I cover it with fresh snow .Both white and shaded with shadows and glints.»
Since the early years of his career ? Stauffer had set a date and he also fixed an objective : to free himself at least before he is forty from money constraints to entirely dedicate to painting ! He painted for his own pleasure and for his supporters’ happiness.
« My friend clients are faithful , they visit the gallery saying :
« I just come here to have a look « a few minutes later after visiting they would come back and I hear them say « I actually would like to have this one « then at the end , unable to decide between the two works .they leave taking away both works with them !»
I know some of my friends who have more than 30 canvasses in their houses.»
When Jean Pierre stauffer sketches a drawing in watercolours : in his memory he fixes the atmosphere /a light ,a detail , a shadow.Later in the silence of the workshop he would transfer his deepest pleasure , this life space ? this patch of land into everlasting moments .
Nina Brissot-Carrel
Major exhibitions
In Paris since 1977.
In New York and Phoenix, Arizona, United States, since 1985.
In Switzerland since 1985, at Galerie Paul Valotton in Lausanne.
Since 1993 the gallery permanently Annie Chevalley in Montreux and La Tour-de-Peilz.
