Studio CT

Will von Dehl’s career as a graphic designer and illustrator required adaptability, leading him to become a generalist and a student of mark-making. His work spans a broad range of styles and techniques in both traditional and digital media, a versatility reflected in his painting process.

Years of designing for print deepened his appreciation for the precision nature of the process, but while striving for perfection on press, he secretly came to love the flaws he saw through the loupe—colors slightly out of register, overlooked typos, and the small, human touches that make each piece unique.

Golden age comic books embody this ephemera for him, with their mass-printed, pulpy pages capturing bright yet faded colors, bold heroes, and eccentric narratives; their flaws are part of their charm. He collects vintage advertising, forgotten and discarded family photos and antique hand tools, treasuring the patina of timeworn objects.  

Imbued with striking color, strong forms and meticulously balanced compositions that extend beyond the frame, he often creates outsized works of fleeting moments, emotional states expressed through movement.

While he occasionally paints on canvas, he constructs his own birch and poplar panels for more visceral works, allowing him to build up layers of paint and carve into them with steel tools. Scraping, sanding, and repainting, he creates textures that mirror the passage of time—layers of moments, traditions, changes, and imperfections, all interwoven to reflect a vibrant expression of humanity.