Biography

Vincent Burkhead is a contemporary surrealist painter and founder of So Surreal Studio, whose work explores the thresholds between science, spirituality, and the subconscious. Working exclusively on wood panels—from intimate 2x2-inch studies to expansive compositions. He enjoys the simplicity of working with graphite and ink in his drawings. In his paintings, Vincent combines flat acrylics with holographic and iridescent varnishes to produce dimensional surfaces that seem to pulse between matter and energy.

Early inspirations from Frank Frazetta, M.C. Escher, Salvador Dalí, and Wassily Kandinsky shaped his lifelong fascination with illusion, symmetry, and the hidden architecture of the mind. His work delves into sacred geometry, reincarnation of souls, remote viewing, quantum mechanics, and the cosmic mysteries of black holes and dark matter—themes that invite both introspection and awe. Recurring symbolic metaphors such as the third eye of enlightenment, peace and collaboration, UAP craft, NHI entities, and consciousness itself coexist with both human and animal forms, blurring the line between the mystical and the psychological.

A graduate of the University of Missouri–Columbia (BFA, Visual Communications, 1986), Burkhead spent two decades leading his own virtual ad agency, where he developed a deep fluency in strategic branding, composition, and digital design. His continued use of Adobe products lends structural precision to his organic, intuitive process. That process often begins by reading the natural patterns of the wood grain, employing the surrealist practice of pareidolia to uncover hidden imagery. Many of his pieces extend onto the sides and back of the wood panel, transforming the entire object into a sculptural, multidimensional experience.

Burkhead's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and fairs nationwide. His solo exhibitions include Gallery Opening Solo Show (Encinitas, CA, 2023) and It's Only, It's Already (Fine Art Center Gallery, Columbia, MO, 1988). He has exhibited with galleries such as Art Scene West (Seaport Village, San Diego CA, 2025), Adore Gallery (Encinitas, CA, 2024), Ashton Gallery / Art on 30th, CA and CM Curatorial Gallery (National City, CA 2024), among others. His participation in art fairs spans from Art Westport (Kansas City, 2025) to multiple California venues, including the Adams Avenue Street Fair (2023 & 2024) and Art in the Village (Carlsbad, 2023), as well as La Jolla Art & Wine Fest (La Jolla, CA 2024).

Now based in Independence, Missouri, after twenty-five years in San Diego, Burkhead continues to expand his presence through So Surreal Studio, producing work that merge metaphysical inquiry with bold visual storytelling.

At its core, his work challenges viewers to question perception itself—what is seen and unseen, what is finite and infinite. His art invites you to look deeper, to see beyond form, and to remember that discovery in and of itself is a sacred act.