Adam de Boer's canvas is not just his physical space. For the past five years, he has been transforming Indonesian batik-dyed fabric into vibrant scenes that reflect the Los Angeles skyline. His process is meticulous: drawing, waxing, staining, boiling, and finally oil painting. Each piece is stretched and unstretched four times to ensure visual consistency.
Although his studio space in northeast L.A. is quiet, offering ample street parking, Adam finds inspiration and a sense of community with his wife Leah Ring and nearby artist friends. Despite its benefits, the lack of outdoor space for wax removal poses an ongoing challenge.
The accuracy of color in his works often surprises visitors, who marvel at how textiles mimic natural light so convincingly. His favorite material to work with is beeswax, drawing with it as if capturing fleeting moments of urban life under L.A.'s sun.
When not working on large-scale exhibitions, Adam's studio produces paintings that are a direct observation of the city, often rendered in a deadpan style. His preferred local museums, close to his workspace, are The Huntington Library and Art Museum, and the new Geffen Galleries at LACMA.
