Old master references, visual puns, word play, hints of narrative, inside jokes, political commentary and exquisite details all find their way into the densely painted still life works of Jacob A. Pfeiffer. “Lots of things catch my eye,” says Jacob. “What I want to evoke is the opposite reaction most people have when they go to a museum and say, ‘my child could do that.’ When someone looks at my paintings, I want them to think, ‘Wow, I never could do that!’” For Jacob, the more convincing and realistic one of his paintings looks, the better it is. He spends countless amounts of time on particulars in each painting, making sure to include dew drops on flowers, a fly on a leaf or some natural blemish in a piece of fruit. He wants there to be a difference between fabric, metal, and fruit, how they should all have a different look when painted. A great deal of time and craft is applied to these pieces,” Jacob says. “My technique involves glazing in thin layers, and is slow and controlled. I really love the paintings into existence. The image of a tortured artist throwing paint onto canvas couldn’t be less descriptive of what I do. While I try to arrest people with visual impact, a sense of humor should be apparent as well.” Jacob’s technical execution and well-honed techniques show tight, meticulous realism in a unique and individualized way. “My desire is to show ordinary objects in extraordinary ways,” he says enthusiastically.