Outer space comes to Opstad students
June 17, 2009
By Laura Geggel
Opstad Elementary students recently got a rare glimpse of a Phobos, one of two moons belonging to bright red Mars, the fourth planet from the sun.
Jeff Sturgeon shows, from left, first-graders Corwin Sturgeon, Max Crowder, Opstad teacher Susan Baysinger, Sarah Bailey, Erika Mickelson, Jaedin Scoones and Mia Landon his portfolio. Photo by Laura Geggel
The first-graders weren’t peering into a telescope, but at a painting created by Snoqualmie artist Jeff Sturgeon, whose twin sons Duncan and Corwin attend Opstad. Sturgeon is renowned for his paintings of outer space, some of which leap into the realm of science fiction and fantasy. Local students may recognize the man with the bushy gray beard from presentations at North Bend Montessori, North Bend Elementary and Opstad Elementary.
The starry expanse on Sturgeon’s painting drew more than just the students’ eyes. The artist invited them to knock on his work, which was painted on metal.
“Touch the moon, touch space,” the students yelled as they tapped on the picture.
“The metal lets me do a lot of stuff that I can’t do on the canvass,” Sturgeon said. “Anytime I paint stuff on the metal, it looks 3D.”
He uses a special drill called a grinder to give the aluminum or copper a finish with a shimmer, which, in turn, gives the painting a 3D look.
Opstad art teacher Susan Baysinger thanked Sturgeon for his presentation, and reminded her students that knocking “is not something you do at museums,” but only when the artist gives you permission.
Growing up, Sturgeon said he was “always the kid who could draw.” After he graduated from high school in Redding, Calif., he found a crowd of would-be artists and writers. Since then, he’s drawn book covers, magazines and commissions from NASA, and he learned from the best.
He met his teacher Rick Sternbach, an illustrator for the Star Trek TV series, at a science fiction convention in 1980. A mere 10 years later, Sturgeon had gone professional, joining the International Association of Astronomical Artists and spending much of his time designing art for Electronic Arts computer games.
Now, Sturgeon concentrates on creating beyond-this-world images with acrylic paint. His eerily 3D-looking paintings are inspired from his hobbies of reading, listening to music, watching films and hiking.
With best in show awards from the World Science Fiction Convention, NasFic, NorwesCon, Orycon, Baycon and WesterCon, among others, his craftsmanship is clearly paying off.
His artwork sells from several hundred to several thousand dollars and can be viewed at www.jeffsturgeon.com.
After his presentation, the first-grade students returned to their desks to finish their pet rock projects and design a few Father’s Day cards, but a few lingered by Sturgeon’s portfolio and flipped through the pages. Many of his paintings have terrestrial landmarks in outer space.
“I’m kind of known for that,” he said.
Jaedin Scoones favored one painting because “it has blue and green, my favorite colors.”
Corwin Sturgeon said his father explains the painting process to him and Duncan when they’re at home.
“Sometimes, when I watch him paint, he tells me what he does to make it 3D,” Corwin said.
Baysinger said it was important to expose children to different types of art. Every year, she teaches students about two or three masters artists. This year, she led lessons about Edward Monet and George Rodrigue, the creator of Blue Dog.
She welcomed other local artists, and asked them to call her at 831-8340 if they would like to make art presentations.
Reach Reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434, ext. 221. To comment on this story, visit www.SnoValleyStar.com.
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