About

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Larry Hefner received his Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Oklahoma. He is a Professor Emeritus of Design in the Department of Design at the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma. Larry is currently a professional fine artist working from his studio in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is a multi-disciplined artist working with a variety of media and techniques. In an effort to stay on the cutting edge of the graphic design industry, Larry spends a great deal of his time researching and working on Macintosh computers and their associated software applications. His work has been exhibited in many local and regional museums and galleries winning numerous awards. For the past forty years, Larry has worked as a graphic designer/photographer, owning his own studio, The Hefner Group.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have worked in a variety of media and styles for most of my professional career. This diversity often led to a certain amount of conflict in visual continuity. Even though the aesthetic goals were the same, my large lyrical abstract paintings were visually different from my smaller prints. To compound this problem, add on the creative problem solving approach of Graphic Design, Commercial Photography and Design Education, which have been the primary means of livelihood for a large portion of my life. This latest series of work, I believe, more closely ties all the areas of my creative expression together. The paintings and painting studies are all done with acrylic paint and mediums. I am process driven. My method is predominately the same on each piece. I start with a background, applying many coats of thick transparent acrylic paint creating a deep, rich color base. When I am satisfied with the color and texture I begin to apply larger shapes that contrast both in color and value to the background. The color is dictated by my perception of the background or the previous layer. This level is what I consider to be the mid ground. The final foreground level consists of smaller shapes that will eventually float on top when I apply the shadows as the final elements of the painting. The term abstract illusionism is a good verbal description of my work. The imagery is abstract in nature, although the illusion of depth and space achieved by airbrushed shadows gives the paintings and the abstract images an eerie quality of realism, almost photographic.