Jeff Soto Bio

Through striking visual imagery, Jeff Soto communicates profound visions and fears, nostalgia of his youth, and themes of love, lust, and hope. Soto’s distinct color palette, subject matter, technique and bold themes resonate with a growing audience. Inspired by childhood toys, the colorful lifestyle of skateboarding and graffiti, hip-hop and popular culture, Soto’s representational work is simultaneously accessible and stimulating.

Environmental issues also take precedent for Soto, who is concerned with conflict of humans trying to harness, or take advantage of nature. His paintings exude this tension, as robotic creatures duel, organic tentacles and flower bouquets thrive, and black smog looms amidst floating, ominous skulls.

In 2002, Soto graduated with Distinction from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He currently lives in Southern California, with his wife Jennifer and daughter Shannon.


Resume


Solo shows:
2008 Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA
2007 "Storm Clouds" Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY
2006 "Cold Ice Age" BLK/MRKT Gallery, Culver City, CA
2006 "Supernova" Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
2004 "Jeff Soto" BLKMRKT Gallery, Culver City, CA
2003 "Complete Domination" OX-OP Gallery. Minneapolis, MN
2001 "Potato Stamp Dreams" New Image Art, Los Angeles, CA

Selected Group Shows:

2008
“In the Land of Retinal Delights: The Juxtapoz School”. Laguna Museum of Art, CA
“Fairfax + Haight”. RVCA Gallery, San Francisco, CA
“Robots- Evolution of a Cultural Icon”. San Jose Art Museum, San Jose, CA
“Balls Out”. Grass Hut Gallery, Portland, OR
“Superhero”. San Diego, CA
Miami fairs TBA, Miami, FL
“The Sublime Landscape”. Project4 Gallery, Washington D.C.

2007
"BLK/MRKT at Red Dot". Miami, FL
"Generalized Anxiety Disorder". Curated by Kristine Bowen. Walter Maciel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
"GREEN". Curated by Mark Murphy. Robert Berman Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
"The Beast Within". Curated by Jamie O'Shea. Showroom, New York, NY
"Those Damn Yanks". Curated by Marsea Goldberg. Leonard Street Gallery, London.
"Scion Installation 4". Travelling exhibit, various cities.
"Fighting 4 Dreams". 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA
"BMG Artists Annual". BLK/MRKT Gallery, Culver City, CA
"Elevation". Limited Addiction Gallery, Denver, CO
"One Up". Art Prostitute Gallery, Dallas, TX


2006
"Natural and Unnatural: Imagining Landscapes". Hunterdon Museum of Art, Clinton, NJ
"Electric Wasteland: Urban Art from L.A.". Montseratt College of Art, Beverly, MA
"It's All Wood". Renowned Gallery, Portland, OR
“Post-Deux”. GR2, Los Angeles, CA
“Drawn to Expression”. Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA
“The Juxtapoz Show”. SOO Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
“Typewriters”. Redletter1, Tampa FL

2005
Mendenhall Gallery, Pasadena, CA
“All Star Hustlaz”. Whitewalls Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2004
"Supercalligraphic” Fuse Gallery, New York, NY
"Unnatural Selection" Tin Man Alley, Philadelphia, PA
"Spinning Yarn" Riviera gallery, Brooklyn, NY
"Tall Stories" Wignall Museum, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
"The Russian Doll Show" 65 Hope Street, Brooklyn, NY
“Pop Pluralism" Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY

2003
"Three for Fall". La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
"The Hello Show" Tree House Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
"Looking Up. (California)". Ghetto Gloss, Los Angeles, CA
"Subspecies." Recon Gallery, San Francisco, CA
"Sexhibition" 1300 Gallery, Cleveland OH
"Feathered Friends" Motel Gallery. Portland, OR
"Crazy Bastard" New Image Art, Hollywood, CA
"Robots have feelings too" Culture Cache Gallery, San Francisco, CA. (curator)
"Assembly" Front Room Gallery. Brooklyn, NY
"Tres Flores" Compound Gallery. Portland, OR
"Bomb Pop". C-Pop Gallery, Detroit, MI
"Big Bang" OX-OP Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
"Electric Wonderland". Forbidden Gallery, Dallas TX
"Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists". La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Hollywood, CA
"Sci-Fi/ Western" 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2002
"The Giant Electric" New Image Art, Hollywood, CA
"The Uncertainty Principle" Tin Man Alley, Philadelphia, PA
"Long Drive South" Los Angeles, CA
"Namenlosen" Anno Domini Gallery, San Jose, CA
"Gods and Monsters" Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle WA
"Keep A Breast" Art auction at Triple Five Soul Gallery. New York, NY
"Curb Feelers" 1911 Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN
"Superhero" New Image Art, Hollywood, CA
"Four Your Eyes Only" La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Hollywood, CA
"Decipher" Eighth Floor Gallery, New York, NY
New Image Art at the Stockholm Artfair, Sweden.
"Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists". La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Hollywood, CA
"Bulls Eye" Tin Man Alley, Philadelphia, PA
"LA's Fab Five" Culture Cache, San Francisco, CA

2001
"E=" William Turner Gallery. Venice, CA.
"No Purchase Necessary" RCAA Gallery. Riverside, CA.
"The Society of Illustrators" New York, NY.
"Students and Mentors: An Invitational" Riverside Community College Art Gallery. Riverside, CA.
"Paintaholics" New Image Art. Hollywood, CA.
"Eye Candy" 3 Deuces Gallery. Riverside, CA.
"Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists". La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Hollywood, CA.
"Illustration West 39". California State University Northridge, CA.

Lectures
2008 Riverside Community College
2006 Montserrat College, Beverly, MA
2006 Parsons School of Design, New York, NY
2006 Art Center College of Design, Pasadena CA
2005 California State University Sacramento CA
2005 Society of illustrators, Los Angeles, CA
2005 Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA

Education:

2002 BFA, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA. Graduated with Distinction.
1998 AA, Riverside Community College, Riverside, CA

Selected Press/Publications/reviews:
Storm Clouds- the Art of Jeff Soto (2008), Potato Stamp Dreams: The Art of Jeff Soto (2005), ArtWeek, Hi Fructose, Giant Robot, Beasts!, Juxtapoz, American Illustration, Paper, Art Prostitute, Streetwear Today, Print, Communication Arts, Stop Smiling, ID Pure, Lifelounge, Cal Magazine, Romantik, Beautiful Decay, Langages de Rue, XFuns, and Lodown Magazine.

Client list:
Sony Music, Warner Bros., The Broken Wrist Project, Entertainment Weekly, The Village Voice, Esquire, City Pages, Tor Books, Morrow Snowboards, Nickelodeon magazine, Field and Stream, Spin, Toy2R, The Portland Mercury, Disney Adventures, Macskinz, Coors, Visa, F Communications, Wired, The Boston Phoenix, Juxtapoz, Critterbox toys, United Airlines/Fallon, Fast Company, Wired, and Outside Magazine.


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