Eric Buechel (1958 - )Internationally known artist Eric Buechel, a self described humanist, environmentalist and historian, was born in Passaic, N. J. , 7-2-58. Buechel acquired his love of art from his father Ernest Buechel who himself was a talented artist born in Koblez, Germany.
After spending much of his youth studying the works of the masters and working diligently on his craft, Buechel won a scholarship in 1977 from the N.J. Art Directors Club and went on to attend DuCret School of Art in Plainfield, NJ. During his time there, Buechel took countless trips to some of the world’s most renowned museums in New York City. Perhaps the most important thing to happen in young Buechel's life at DuCret was meeting Dr. Furman J. Finck, an official presidential portrait painter. Under Finck's tutelage and studying Finck's work at his NYC studio, Buechel learned a technique using wolf carbon pencil and to draw incredibly detailed portraits rivaling the detail of the photographic realism of artist Chuck Close.
The master artist that most influenced Buechel's early work was that of Renaissance artist Albrecht Durer. That influence, with its emphasis on strong line and compact arrangements, continued to inspire Buechel’s work for many years to come. Following his studies, Buechel worked in NJ and NYC as an illustrator and art director. He later opened his own advertising agency, specializing in medical and aerospace illustrations.
Setti ng aside his brushes for awhile, Buechel formed a computer recycling business in 1990 at a warehouse in Belleville, N.J. While discovering ways to reclaim components and raw materials from discarded electronics & CRTs. Buechel pioneering efforts earned him a nomination from US Senator F. Lautenberg for the NJ Pride Award in Science and Technolog