Christian Faur: Childhood Fantasies

(Above) Euler, 2007
4773 Hand cast encaustic crayons
19.5 in x 19.5 in.

(Above) Poppies , 2007
4773 Hand cast encaustic crayons
19.5 in x 19.5 in.

(Above) Experiment 5 , 2008
Hand cast encaustic crayons
12 x 12 inches

(Above) Experiment 5 , 2008 side view
Hand cast encaustic crayons
12 x 12 inches

(Above) Experiment 5 , 2008 detail
Hand cast encaustic crayons
12 x 12 inches

(Above) Girl, 2008
Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons
19.5 in x 19.5 in

(Above) Boy, 2008
Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons
19.5 in x 19.5 in

(Above) Girl, 2008
Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons
19.5 in x 19.5 in
(Above) Arnie, 2007
Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons
19.5 in x 19.5 in.
(Above) Untitled 6500, 2006
Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons
19.5 in x 19.5 in.

(Above) Untitled 6500 - detail, 2006

WHO DOESN’T HAVE A FONDNESS FOR CRAYONS? CRAYONS HAVE THAT SWEET SMELL YOU NEVER FORGET. And I’m not talking about these current day intentionally scented crayons. I’m talking about the original, unadulterated Crayola crayons.

Crayons were probably the first drawing tool we used as children, possibly the first beginnings of a child’s visual creative efforts. I can remember my first set of Crayola 64’s. It might have been around 1958. I would have been in the first grade then. Sixty-four crayons with colors I had yet to even imagine! Colors like Periwinkle, Pine Green, Prussian Blue, Indian Red, Apricot and Thistle launched my creative life.

Can you remember how awesome it was to open that big box of crayons for the very first time? I do. Each little colored head sticking straight up in perfect order. As hard as I tried to put each crayon back in its exact spot, invariably they got out of order. I learned to live with that, but eventually another disappointment would occur. I would break one. Oh-h-h the humanity! The beginnings of self-inflicted disappointment. Early training for the real world.

One more thing. I contend that the 64 box of Crayola crayons were part of my early recognition of what it meant to have a collection of something. Yep. This box with the cool die cut lid was a collection of the most beautiful colors in the world. In some ways, I hated to even use them. Neatly arranged in rows, I am absolutely sure that the Crayola 64 box planted an early seed in my life which grew into my very serious collecting of things as an adult.

Artist Christian Faur creates his own crayons to exact color specifications and uses them in spectacular pointillist creations. His work is marvelous in concept, smart and deeper than meets the eye. I am sure that Faur has found great sales success and accolades with his crayon works, but based on the depth, sophistication and variation of his past work and other series, I’d say that Faur will always be exploring new series of paintings for us to marvel at.