Paul Sattler

Paul Sattler’s imaginative paintings and drawings feature multiple characters engaged in an ambiguous narrative which plays out through theatrical scenes. Drawing upon color theory and surrealism for inspiration, his works encourage questioning of one’s own reality. Sattler received his MFA from Indiana University, Bloomington and BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago.  Influenced by political sattire, folklore, and societal dynamics, Sattler often reimagines imagery from mid-century comics or historical paintings through loose brushwork and vivid hues. 

“The functions of my animals are many: beasts of burden, victims of ridicule, fantastical visions, mythical beings, and stand-ins for human emotions, predicaments, and phobias. While striving to avoid the moralizing lessons of traditional fables, many of the narratives are personalized imagery inspired by a variety of literary sources including Grimm Brothers tales, ETA Hoffmann and the vast legacy of children’s literature.  But primary roots of inspiration reveal themselves when I am not looking for them – such as when I feel a charge coming from the presence of an animal in works of adult literature such as Hermann Hesse, Nelson Algren, James Joyce, Balzac, Poe, among others.” — Paul Sattler