Jeffrey Surret (Born in 1965) was born in Pennsylvania. He was born to a working-class family in which every member was called upon to contribute financially early on. When he was 11 years old, he took his first part-time job at a nearby factory making white chocolate. He continued to find other odd jobs that he would enjoy, mostly they were creative works with his hands - from glassblowing, to carpenter's assistant, to bicycle repair. An unconventional and creative personality ultimately led Surret to art. He had recently entered high school by the time his family moved to Atlanta. One art teacher became the pivotal guide to his artistic development. By the time he was graduating, he had gained significant recognition for his artistic talent. With the support of his mentor and an impressive portfolio, the artist earned a full-tuition scholarship to study art history and illustration at one of the most prestigious art schools in the country - the Savannah College of Art and Design.
In 1993, his parents offered him a round-trip ticket to Japan as a graduation present, and he traveled to the East for 3 months. The trip was wonderful and the experience deepened his interest in landscape art and broadened his cultural perspective. Upon his return to the United States, Surret started working as a freelance commercial illustrator. He believes that his responsibility as an artist is to avoid eye candy and artifice, and to create art that causes the viewers to stop and explore the intricacies of the image. He found a niche creating marketing, and then moved on to specialize in architectural renderings. His style blends contrasting and irregular shapes with a soft brush technique which helps in achieving a photographic realism.
