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Eric Stefanski Im A Drunken Piece Of Shit For Sale
Eric Stefanski
Im A Drunken Piece Of Shit, 2023
Oil pastel and charcoal on paper heavyweight paper
11 x 14 in 27.9 x 35.5 cm
Edition
Unique
About this work
Eric Stefanski's "Im A Drunken Piece Of Shit" (2023) delivers the artist's signature confessional rawness through oil pastel and charcoal on heavyweight paper, a more intimate material departure that amplifies the work's vulnerability. The words sprawl across the surface with an urgency that suggests both declaration and admission, the letters rendered in Stefanski's characteristic hand—neither refined nor deliberately crude, but carrying the specific weight of language spoken aloud to oneself in moments of brutal honesty. The oil pastel provides a waxy, saturated presence while the charcoal introduces moments of smudge and drag, creating a visual texture that mirrors the emotional friction embedded in the statement itself. Stefanski has built his practice around treating text as emotional residue, and this work exemplifies that commitment. There is no imagery to soften or contextualize the phrase; the words must hold everything. The result is confrontational but not aggressive—it reads more as confession than provocation, inviting viewers into a space of shared human failure and the dark humor that sometimes accompanies self-awareness. The smaller scale and works-on-paper format create an intimacy absent from larger canvas pieces, as though encountering a private note never meant for public display. Within Stefanski's broader body of work, this piece occupies a space of unguarded introspection, continuing his exploration of shame, identity, and the things we tell ourselves when no one is listening. Collectors interested in acquiring this work may inquire directly through Guy Hepner, New York.
Price on Application
Edition & Provenance
- Year
- 2023
- Medium
- Oil pastel and charcoal on paper 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.