Paintings
71 works
Eric Stefanski I Saw You Wink For Sale
Eric Stefanski
I Saw You Wink, 2023
Oil pastel and charcoal on heavyweight paper
11 x 14 in 27.9 x 35.5 cm
Edition
Unique
About this work
Eric Stefanski's "I Saw You Wink" captures a moment of charged intimacy through his distinctive text-based approach, here rendered in oil pastel and charcoal on heavyweight paper. The phrase itself carries an electric ambiguity—accusatory or playful, paranoid or flirtatious—and Stefanski allows this tension to reverberate through his material handling. The words appear to emerge from the paper's surface with an urgency that feels both confessional and confrontational, the oil pastel lending a waxy density to the letterforms while charcoal introduces areas of smudged shadow and atmospheric uncertainty. This work on paper represents an intimate counterpoint to Stefanski's larger acrylic-on-canvas paintings, offering collectors insight into his process at a more immediate scale. The 11 x 14 inch format creates a sense of private encounter, as though the viewer has intercepted a note or overheard a whispered observation. Stefanski treats language not as graphic design but as emotional residue—the textual remnants of experiences that demand expression. His words function less as statements to be read than as feelings to be absorbed, their meaning accumulating through repetition, scale, and the physical evidence of the artist's hand. The emotional register here oscillates between vulnerability and knowing wit, a hallmark of Stefanski's practice. He transforms ordinary phrases into psychological artifacts, inviting viewers to project their own memories and associations onto the work. "I Saw You Wink" becomes a mirror as much as a message, implicating its audience in an unresolved exchange. For inquiries regarding acquisition of this work, please contact Guy Hepner gallery directly.
Price on Application
Edition & Provenance
- Year
- 2023
- Medium
- Oil pastel and charcoal on heavyweight paper
- Edition
- Unique
More from this series
More series by Eric Stefanski
About the Works on Paper Series
Eric Stefanski's Works on Paper series showcases a compelling collection of introspective and emotionally raw pieces that capture the artist's distinctive voice. Through mixed media and drawing techniques, Stefanski explores themes of self-reflection, desire, and the mundane moments that define human experience. Titles such as I Love Myself I Hate Myself and Thirsty reveal the series' unflinching examination of internal contradiction and longing, while works like Grocery List and Show's Over ground these psychological investigations in everyday observation.
This series represents a significant body of work that demonstrates Stefanski's ability to translate complex emotional states into visually engaging compositions. The accessibility of the works on paper format, combined with their conceptual depth, has made this collection increasingly sought after by collectors interested in contemporary figurative and conceptual practice.
These pieces remain vital acquisitions for those building thoughtful contemporary collections. Several works from the series are available for purchase, and additional pieces may be acquired through direct inquiry.
About Eric Stefanski
Eric Stefanski is a Chicago based artist known for large scale abstract paintings that incorporate bold, handwritten text. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and earned his MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in 2015.
Stefanski's work merges expressive mark making with direct, often humorous or self-deprecating phrases, using language as a way into larger themes around vulnerability, failure, and the pressures of maintaining a creative practice. His large-scale canvases favor vibrant color and bold lettering, with text functioning less as slogan and more as fragments of internal dialogue, blending humor with genuine emotional weight. Through this approach, Stefanski examines what it means to sustain a life as a working artist, treating uncertainty and contradiction as part of the process rather than something to resolve.
His work has been shown extensively in Chicago and Boston, along with solo exhibitions in cities including Tokyo and Madrid, and has continued to expand into galleries and institutions internationally.
He continues to live and work in Chicago.
Guy Hepner works with collectors seeking Eric Stefanski's bold, text-driven abstract paintings. Contact us to discuss available inventory or to inquire about upcoming releases.