By Michele Malinchak
It all began in grade school during class field trips to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Patrick Seufert would gaze out the bus window marveling at the tall buildings—sights he didn’t typically see in the suburbs. Today, cities remain a source of inspiration for him. Depicting scenes from urban environments, he challenges the viewer to see them through a different lens. “I do feel the need to show parts of the city some people may want to ignore,” he said.
Power lines, parking lots, traffic lights, chain link fences and cars—mundane objects taken for granted by most—are featured in his hyper realistic cityscapes.
Much of his work is inspired by the city of Philadelphia where he has lived for the past 10 years. “Philadelphia is such an old city with so many interesting buildings built in the 30’s,” he said. Though it’s his favorite city to paint, he has also painted scenes from Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York City and Denver.
All his work is done from photos taken with a Sony A6000 camera. “I prefer to photograph at dusk or dawn as those times create longer shadows and more intense contrast. I have always liked high contrast and bold color,” he said. He looks for hard edged shadows on buildings that create a graphic scene and pumps up colors from photos using vivid oranges and blues, cadmium red and cobalt violet. “I want people to feel the mood of my paintings,” he said.
Patrick paints in oil in a hyperrealistic style which differs from photorealism. Instead of copying a photograph exactly, he enhances reality, creating a more surreal experience for the viewer. “I would say I am both trying to tell a story and create a good composition,” he said. “Design definitely plays a part in my decision making.”
He begins by cropping his photo and uses a grid system for transferring information from the photo to the canvas. Next he’ll sketch his composition in pencil onto the canvas which he stretches himself.
He uses two or three palettes at the same time, one mounted directly in front of his easel so he doesn’t have far to reach for paint. There is no rhyme or reason as to how he arranges the paint—“It’s just a random squeezing of colors,” he said. He mixes 10 to 20 colors before he paints and freezes pigment he doesn’t use.
Patrick begins by painting the sky, then blocking in color so that the whole canvas is covered. After this first flat layer of paint is applied, he is ready to paint the fine details using small liner brushes. He pays meticulous attention to one area at a time. One day a car will be painted, the next the side of a brick building. “I use a mahl stick to brace my hand when I have to paint precise lines,” he said, and also wears magnifying glasses. It takes him roughly 50 hours to complete smaller paintings and 70 for larger works. Typically his paintings measure 20” wide and he finishes about six a year.
Admittedly a night owl, he often paints until three or four in the morning. “During the day there are too many distractions and noises,” he said. To drown out noise and help him focus, he wears headphones and listens to music—bands like Black Sabbath (his favorite), Metallica, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, WU Tang, Mars Volta and others.
“Once I start painting it usually takes me an hour or two to get into a groove,” he said. “I also re-watch movies or TV shows although I'm mostly just listening. Sometimes I will watch/listen to a local sports broadcast.”
While the body of his work consists of cityscapes, he also enjoys painting rural scenes. These include the coastline of Maine and Delaware and farms in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “Meltage” was inspired by a trip to New Hampshire, featuring a covered bridge spanning a rushing stream. “That one was an ode to my father,” he said.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have two parents who are artists.” Patrick and his parents all graduated with B.F.A.’s from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. However, their painting styles and techniques are totally different as well as their subject matter. “I’ve made a point to paint differently from my father,” Patrick said.
His father, Robert, is known for his traditional oil paintings of Bucks County which are done using a painting knife. His mother, Alice, works with watercolors, pastels and colored pencils and taught art for 38 years at the Seufert Art Studio. Originally located in Langhorne, the business was started by Robert in 1972. Since 1993 the studio has been located in Fairless Hills where Robert and Patrick continue to teach. His parents remain a continuing source of inspiration to him.
Patrick has taught at the studio for the past 10 years, instructing children and adults in drawing and painting three days a week. “Teaching helps me stay loose by drawing from life instead of photos,” he said.
Because he has to travel from his studio in lower Mayfair (Northeast Philadelphia) to teach in Fairless Hills, he oftenfinds it difficult transitioning from one task to another.
Now 39, Patrick grew up with two siblings in Levittown and Fairless Hills and attended Pennsbury High School where he took art classes and photography. His brother, Stephen, and sister, Regina, are also artistic but devote their time to other pursuits.
At Tyler School of Art he began as an illustrator and took a number of graphic design classes. He found the required computer work challenging and unfulfilling, and eventually changed his major to painting. “I feel the design and photography background has helped to shape my current style,” he said.
After graduating from Tyler, he focused on his career as an urban oil painter by producing a collection of cityscapes. Though he worked at various retail jobs during his school years, there was never any doubt that he’d be an artist.“I knew I had an eye for it and was good at it,” he said.
Artists he admires include Salvador Dali, Edward Hopper and Richard Estes. Many people have said Patrick’s work reminds them of Hopper. “Chuck Close is another artist who I have a lot of respect for,” he said. “Alan Magee is a hyperrealistic artist who I love …I also have an appreciation for Georgia O'Keeffe's use of color and stylization.”
Patrick’s art has won several awards at juried shows across the country. Most recently his painting entitled, “City Stroll,” seen here, won an award in 2025 from the Hudson Valley Art Association at their 92nd Annual National Juried Exhibition. The cityscape was painted from a photo of the Chelsea neighborhood on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City.
His work has been displayed in outdoor art shows such as the Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show in Philadelphia which takes place in June and September. He has also exhibited at the Gracie Square Art Show in New York City and the Bethesda Row Arts Festival in Maryland, both in September. In addition, he has shown in April at the Arlington Festival of the Arts in Arlington, Virginia.
Patrick takes on commissioned work and also does his own custom framing.
Looking ahead he said, “I would like to do some paintings of rain storms as the cloud movement can be striking. I also would like to paint pavement when it's soaked.” His painting, “June Lagoon” was photographed in Fairless Hills after a summer rain storm caused Lake Caroline to spill over. “ I feel that painting (“June Lagoon”) may start a new series later this year.”
“My priority is always, 'What do I feel would make a good painting?' I am not going to paint something strictly because I want it to sell. In my opinion, that takes the fun out of producing art.”
Patrick’s work can be viewed on his website: www.patrickseuf-art.com.
Michele Malinchak is a freelance writer who has a degree in art and enjoys oil painting.