A Conversation with Artist-in-Residence, Jeffrey Deane Hall

Jeffrey Deane Hall (he/him) is one of the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s Spring/Summer 2025 Studio Access Residents. Born in Richmond, VA, Jeffrey (Jeff to his friends) is an artist and educator whose work blends precise trompe l’oeil technique with layered symbolism.

Jeffrey earned his degree in Studio Art, along with minors in Physics and Art History, from the University of Richmond, and his Master’s at Virginia Commonwealth University. His paintings often reflect his wide-ranging interests, from the structure of knowledge to the tension between naturalism and abstraction. His recent “Edges” series — featuring hyper-realistic stacks of books — has been recognized for its exploration of censorship of information, visual perception, and communication. Jeffrey’s work has been featured in both the 100th and 160th issues of “New American Paintings”.

For more than three decades, he has balanced his studio practice with a dedication to teaching, currently serving as Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair and visual art instructor at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School. When not in the studio or classroom, he draws inspiration and support from life at home, as a husband and father to two incredible young women.

Partway through his 6-month residency, we caught up with Jeffrey to learn more about his creative practice and the concepts he’s been exploring over the last few months.

VisArts: How would you describe yourself as an artist? (Ex: painter, mixed-media artist, printmaker, performance artist, etc.)

Jeffrey: I like to consider myself simply an artist and creator. I’m best known for my paintings but the residency has expanded my skills way beyond that.

What was your first interaction with VisArts?

I remember when VisArts was called the Hand Workshop many years ago. My first interaction was likely as an art educator and submitting student work to the annual Scholastic Art + Writing Awards. Over the last 20 years of teaching nearby at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, I’ve also brought my students to exhibitions in the gallery. I’m so excited that my work will be exhibited in that same gallery. It is such an amazing community resource and I’m so thankful for this opportunity.

What are you working on during your residency?

One of my goals was to conquer my fear of printmaking, so I’ve spent the majority of my time in the screenprinting studio and the letterpress studio. Thematically, I’ve continued exploring an idea started in a recent painting of a disassembled gun that I hope to include in the show.

What are some of your sources of inspiration?

My relationship with guns is complicated. As the son of a police officer, I grew up around firearms, yet I do not own one myself. Guns embody an inherent dichotomy—offering comfort to some and instilling fear in others. Both perspectives are valid, depending on one’s lived experience. The same can be said of belief systems and civic structures like the law and organized religion. These frameworks, built to uphold order and social cohesion, have been used both to uplift but also to oppress. In my residency I have explored these tensions through the careful disassembly of complex systems and the juxtaposition of images like targets, triggers, religious architecture, and patriotic imagery.

How were you drawn to the medium(s) you work in?

As I mentioned, printmaking has been an ongoing challenge to me.  My experience in college classes were less than stellar. I wanted to have an opportunity to learn and refine my skills in this area and conquer my fears.

What are you hoping to communicate to the viewer?

This work is my authentic attempt to reconcile the dualities of my life and contemporary American culture — to sit with contradiction and find meaning within it. While some may find these images shocking, in bringing the elements of gun culture, Christianity, and patriotism together, I seek not to resolve the tension but to acknowledge it, making space for a more nuanced understanding of the forces that shape our lives.

Learn more about Jeffrey + his work: Instagram: @jeffreydeanehall / Website: jeffhall.art 

 

---

Interests and opinions expressed by artists-in-residence are their own. Learn more about VisArts’ organizational values and code of conduct.