At first, the building blocks of Lowell Tolstedt’s work might seem ordinary: lilac blossoms, a bowl of cherries or foil-wrapped candies lined up in a row.

But Tolstedt’s drawings are more than what they seem. The Clintonville resident creates multi-layered still-life portraits. While some might consider it akin to photo realism, Tolstedt describes his work as a study in contrasts, composition, color and image clarity.

It’s a style Tolstedt, 70, has spent a lifetime creating, from his undergraduate studies at the University of South Dakota to his long career at the Columbus College of Art and Design.

Originally from South Dakota, Tolstedt has been a prominent presence in Central Ohio’s artistic community since 1967. He spent 38 years working at CCAD, retiring from his post as the dean of the Division of Fine Arts four years ago.

Tolstedt also participates in solo and group exhibitions around the country. Currently he exhibits at the Keny Galleries in Columbus and the Fischbach Gallery in New York City. He has also been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council.

Tolstedt’s drawings are not stereotypical still-life images. Inspired by artists such as Wayne Thiebaud, Giorgio Morandi and Georgia O’Keefe, Tolstedt has put his own spin on a traditional style.

“As far as the choice of subject matter, it’s (comprised of) things I, in a way, just encounter,” he says. “There might be something in my house or something when I’m walking by, and I’ll see it in a particular light. I’ll take it out of that context and stage my own little event from that.”

Rather than arranging apples in a decorative bowl and painting the subject’s surroundings, for example, Tolstedt might instead use foil as a backdrop for the fruit, stripping it of contextual meaning and presenting it in a new way. Tolstedt sees his art as a no-frills approach to contemporary art.

“I like to take something insignificant and give it this momentous quality. It’s straightforward, but it has all these levels in there. I’m a straightforward person and I like art the same way,” he says. “When people look at it, I don’t necessarily want them to scratch their heads and try to figure out how to get it. I’ve always been more interested in art and artists that are representational.”

Tolstedt’s signature style also involves his use of color. He primarily draws with colored pencils, although he occasionally works in silverpoint and gold point. In his earlier work, Tolstedt says he avoided color because he “didn’t want it to get in the way” of the image. Eventually, however, he found himself leaning toward its incorporation.

“For probably 18 years, I worked just in black and white. Gradually, I worked in the color,” he says. “I wanted to add in one more step to give it more impact. To add a little more dimension to the work, I would use several light layers of color. Then I started using it more until it became complete with lots of colors.”

According to Tolstedt, drawing in colored pencils is a meticulous process – depending on the size of a piece, it might take him weeks or months to complete. It’s an art form Tolstedt says not many people have the patience for anymore.

“It’s very time consuming. They’re very close, observational drawings,” he says. “The amount of time that’s put into it gives it an extra dimension. A lot of people aren’t willing to spend the kind of time I do. For me, it’s a way of escaping into another world.”

Tolstedt says he hopes people appreciate the craftsmanship and skill it takes to create his pieces, although he understands that “everyone reacts at their own level.” In his experience at exhibitions, however, the more people look at the work, the more they become interested.

“I think there have been a lot of people that are drawn to my work,” he says. “Someone once said to me, ‘You know, there are people in here that are actually looking.’ I feel good about that.”

Kate Seegraves is assistant editor of CityScene Magazine.

FYI

To view more of Tolstedt’s work, visit www.kenygalleries.com/images/ac-tolstedt/tolstedt-bio.html.