OBENDORF ARTWORK
In 2014, the Paramus Fritz Behnke Historical Museum commissioned Mark Obendorf, a local Bergen County painter known for his realist style of art to complete a series of paintings depicting various local landmarks in Paramus pictured below:
About the Artist, Mark Obendorf
"My realist style of painting has been most strongly influenced by Edward Hopper and Johannes Vermeer. Other major influences are 17th Century Dutch Genre Painting, French Impressionism, Spanish and Italian Realism, and 19th and 20th Century American Plein-Air Painting.
My artistic goal is to capture the mood of my subject through intelligent observation and execution of all natural light effects, alongside faithful rendering of perspective and creative composition.
Most recently my focus has been on capturing communal landmarks in pre-gentrified neighborhoods in Bergen County, NJ and New York City, before their imminent demolition. These structures are fundamental to the visual history of the county and city, but are in danger of being lost forever under the guise of progress.
My mission is to paint the elusive atmospheric effects of the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface. Using color, value, line and paint texture, I can create my own vision and interpretation of nature, for an honest and valid representational work of art."