A Study in Time: Brian DePauli’s Residency at ESSA
St. Louis-based painter Brian DePauli spent August 3rd – October 3rd at Eureka Springs School of the Arts as ESSA’s 2026 2D Artist in Residence. During his eight-week residency, Brian worked in the Peine Studio, creating daily oil studies and developing a new body of work exploring leisure, time, and immortality.
Exploring Time and Immortality
Brian arrived at ESSA with an interest in how we experience and perceive time. His previous body of work explored leisure and how people choose to spend their free time. His newer work expanded on those ideas, examining mortality, immortality, and the way our perception of time changes as we age.
Throughout his residency, Brian challenged himself to complete an oil study each day, exploring subjects that ranged from traditional still lifes to imagery inspired by scientific research. His subjects included shells, rocks, surgical instruments, and the immortal jellyfish, a species capable of reverting to an earlier stage of its life cycle.
His research also led him to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and the story of HeLa cells, which have been used extensively in medical research because of their ability to reproduce indefinitely. These subjects encouraged Brian to experiment with different painting techniques and work more from imagination, stepping outside his usual practice of painting directly from life.
Life at ESSA
Outside the Peine Studio, Brian made the most of his time in Eureka Springs. He visited workshops across campus, welcomed visitors into his studio, and even spent some time rollerblading around ESSA’s bocce ball court.
His interest in caves as part of his developing work also led to an excursion with ESSA Studio Coordinator Kassadee Gal. Together, they explored Eden Falls Cave near the Buffalo National River, giving Brian his first experience inside a wild cave.
Brian also connected with arts professionals in the region, arranging studio visits and meetings with Alejo Benedetti and Cynthia Post Hunt from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Sharing His Work with the Community
Throughout his residency, Brian participated in several educational and public events.
During ESSA’s September 12th Studio Stroll, Brian spoke about his work in ESSA’s 2D Studio, shared paintings he had completed so far, explained his artistic process, and answered questions from the audience.
Brian speaks about his work with guests of ESSA’s Studio Stroll on September 12th, 2026.
On September 16th, Brian gave a presentation at North Arkansas College (NorthArk), discussing the progression of his artwork from leisure to immortality. He also spoke candidly about his experiences as a career artist, including the financial realities of making a living through art.
Brian speaks to students and staff at North Arkansas College (NorthArk).
Brian worked with local high school students as well, teaching one- and two-point perspective using graphite, colored pencils, and graph paper. Students explored how objects move through space and how perspective can be used to represent three-dimensional forms in drawing.
Brian teaches students in ESSA’s Bench Room.
Eight Weeks of Painting on Display
On September 26th, ESSA hosted Brian’s closing exhibition and reception, featuring paintings created during his residency. Visitors could view and purchase his artwork, speak with him about his artistic process, and attend an artist talk.
The exhibition included traditional still-life studies alongside more experimental paintings inspired by his research into immortality. Together, the works offered a look at the different subjects, techniques, and ideas Brian explored throughout his stay.
Reflecting on his experience, Brian shared:
“I am leaving the residency with new ideas, a clearer direction for my work, and a renewed sense of confidence and excitement about what comes next.“
We’re grateful to Brian for spending these eight weeks with us, sharing his knowledge with students and visitors, and becoming part of the ESSA community. We look forward to seeing where his work takes him next!
Keep Up with Brian DePauli
Interested in seeing more of Brian’s work? Visit his website to explore his paintings and see what he’s working on next.
This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
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