Jeff Hurinenko — Paintings Photographed by Mitch Rossow
Jeff Hurinenko (b. 1962) is a native Minnesotan who graduated from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Shortly after graduation he began apprenticing with artist Charles Kapsner, who trained in Italy at Studio Simi and learned Italian methods of painting. Hurinenko trained with Kapsner for five years. He was also shaped by Old Masters including Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Bouguereau, and Fantin-Latour — intrigued by their varied approaches to underpainting and transparent color layering, and by the differences and similarities between their schools of thought.
Jeff uses a combination of bistre, grisaille, and direct methods for his initial lay-in, then layers transparent colors in glazes to give his paintings depth and inner luminosity — a synthesis of Italian, Dutch, and Flemish technique that defines how his portraits and genre scenes read.
Hurinenko primarily paints portraits and genre scenes, but also works in still life, landscape, figure, and interiors. He co-directed Hurinenko & Paquet Studio, established in St. Paul in 1997, where he taught Dutch and Flemish techniques in portrait and still life to graduate-level artists.
Glazed portraits with transparent layering are among the most demanding subjects in artwork photography — depth built up over weeks has to read in a single flat image. Schedule your own session →
