Paul Pitsker’s exquisitely detailed paintings depict darkly beautiful surreal moments.  At first glance, the paintings appear whimsical but upon closer inspection, the complexities of Pitsker’s subjects become apparent: jelly fish in a gumball machine, flowers in a vase of hot sauce, a string of lights hanging in a water-filled fish bowl.  The paintings reference how fragile life is and how fleeting - a nod to memento mori painting - but with a wink.

Pitsker works almost exclusively in watercolor and his handling of the medium is extraordinary.  His techniques includes building up dense layers of pigment to create luxuriously velvety color fields and an astounding mastery of the medium that gives him an unprecedented level of control in the details: glass glints, bird feathers and butterfly wings seem ready to take flight, and flowers seems to bloom before our very eyes. Pitsker paintings at times include text - whimsical and wise riddles about the world - adding another layer to these complex and virtuosic works.