Jeff Sojka Bio

Elliott Yeary Gallery is pleased to present artist Jeff Sojka. Sojka grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, where he was introduced to both the exhilaration of sailing and the rugged beauty of hiking in the Sierra Mountains. As his love for nature became intertwined with his passion for art, he began to pursue landscape painting. Following the tradition of the early California impressionists, such as Edgar Payne and William Wendt, Sojka was inspired to paint nature up close, exposed to all the elements. He has traveled the world, painting the beauty of Europe, the Caribbean, New England, and the American West. Fortunately, for visitors to Elliott Yeary Gallery, Jeff Sojka has elected to paint the magnificence of Aspen and its surrounding landscapes. 

Sojka's color-drenched canvases perfectly capture the magical light and texture of the special landscapes he chooses to paint. Viewed up close, Sojka's bold, deliberate brushstrokes vibrate with energy and movement. Step back and the individual blocks of color meld into surprising clarity. His exceptional style of impressionism is captivating. Painting mostly in plein-aire, Sojka works quickly to capture the setting in its best light. Often, with large pieces, he must return to the site several times to recapture the original light. 

Jeff Sojka's art is a culmination of his passions. After high school, he was awarded a scholarship to study in Europe, where he was inspired by the great museums of Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. He became interested in other cultures and the amazing diversity of the landscape. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from U.C. Santa Barbara, where he would surf daily and frequently sail around the Channel Islands. He later received his Masters degree through San Diego State University, where spending a brief time at an ad agency, he realized that the corporate setting somewhat stifled his creativity. He needed to be out in nature. 

For the past 10 years, Jeff Sojka has been painting full time. He continues to find time to hike, camp, and fish in the mountains, surf and sail the pacific coast, along with being able to travel and explore new and exciting destinations. Many of his images are painted on site, while others are a compilation of quick sketches, photographs, and memories. His work is represented by galleries from coast to coast, and is included in both private and corporate collections worldwide.