Dreaming of the Old Days

A sense of whimsy and wonder guide the paintings of Nathan Durfee. His style is instantly recognizable—elements of storybook illustration meets impressionism with a hint of cubism

But the fact of the matter is, Durfee’s style is entirely his own. When looking closely upon one of his pieces, the first thing you’ll notice are highly stylized, illustrative figures and creatures, and next, you’ll likely notice the multitude of little squares of varying colors and sizes. “Essentially it’s the idea of having this form and breaking it up into these more interesting pieces, so when you get really close you have this play of all these interlocking shapes and colors,” says Durfee, “and when you step back you see a boy playing a tuba.”