Gosh, that's horrible. I know nothing about him as a person but I've seen his work before and it is subtle and evocative. That's a gorgeous painting of trolley lines; it meets the criterion for realist art that it reveals more than a photograph.

Great website. http://www.christopherhoff.com/ Fantastic work. He saw beauty where the rest of us saw ordinariness and hurried through. So sorry to see him leave us so soon. May you rest in peace, Christopher. ~

Wow, I remember his earlier work so well, and it looks like it kept getting better. So sad. RIP.

this is so sad. he was painting 'totem 2' outside our office when i first started here.

When I got my new fancy smartphone with an impressive camera last year, that exact scene was one of the first photos I took. It came out great, and I was pretty proud if it, being a rank amateur. It was my desktop background for months. This will be replacing it. So gorgeous.

the capitol hill scenes are lovely and compelling. thanks for posting. RIP, CMH.

I remember when Seattle used to look like that even during rush hour.

Those painting capture those days of a an empty quiet space very well.

Beautiful work. RIP.

I didn't know of the man, and now I wish I had.

Too young indeed. How sad. But at least we have his legacy.

This is very sad. He was a very kind and thoughtful person.

This is very sad...I just photographed him while he was painting on a cold, windy Seattle day on an overpass by Harbor Island...he was working on a triptych; the view was looking west.
My condolences to his family. He was truly talented.

I'd always see him on that corner in the painting.I'd say hi and stop and admire his work.
He was another one of those little unique things that make me love my neighborhood so much.

That sucks, I used to see him around every once in a while. Really lovely work too.

I saw Christopher one clear, cold January day painting near Harbor Island. I spoke to him about his painting - one panel of a triptych. The view was looking West - from Mt Rainier to the north sound. RIP kind soul.

Jen, would it have been so painful for you to mention that Christopher was currently showing with Linda Hodges Gallery?

I love his paintings. It's so sad to be reading about his passing.

I knew Christopher a little and he was a wicked nice guy. Very warm. As sad as I am to see him go, I am grateful for his legacy and I am reminded that artists have a way of living forever.

:( A 2010 interview:

http://thepugetnews.com/2010/05/19/inter…

This is very sad news. I loved seeing him around the neighborhood at the bottom of Capitol Hill. I was always in awe of his work and how he braved the shitty Seattle weather to document our streets and skies. What a shame, and a loss. My condolences to his friends and family.

@16: Not an intentional omission. Linked to her site. Apologies.

I haven't seen the paintings or the man before, and am saddened. His work (thanks folks for the links) reminds me of why I like walking this downtown so much.

What a loss...he was such a decent guy.
(and the Red Ryder BB Gun parties he and his buddies hosted every other Christmas were truly epic!)

We'll miss you terribly, Christopher.

Hey All: A Memorial Gathering will be held for Christopher this Monday, April 2nd, at 10:30am under the shelters at Gasworks Park. Come celebrate his life.

My friend wrote a pretty amazing piece upon learning of Christopher's death. I encourage anyone who knew him and wanted to know him to check it out...

http://sohibuffy.blogspot.com/

Are you kidding? This is not funny. He is one of the sweetest people in Seattle...WTF

Is this an april fools joke? Not so funny joke?

@26: What a beautiful piece. Thank you so much for sharing it.

@27/28: No, never. I wish it were.

Walking to work today, I blinked and when my eyes reopened, they registered a Hoff painting rather than the actual scene in front of me, just for a second. That's incredible, I think. This loss is huge. I can't make the memorial today but I'll be sending thoughts up and out.

Christopher Martin Hoff is right up there with Edward Hopper as one of America's most important painters in all of history. (We can claim Pollock and maybe even De Kooning too, right?) and this young man will most definitely be appreciated greatly by history.
I was once out on an errand, distracted by a medical problem and headed for the herb shop on 15th, and saw Christopher--I had no idea who he was, but I saw immediately that he was serious--(I paint too)--but I was nervous and shy as introverts generally are, and thus didn't even pay enough attention to what I was seeing, for that was my only opportunity to meet Christopher, and I only mumbled something conventional, for as I say, I was not really even taking in what I was seeing.., but I can tell you that I have wept now, every time I look at his work. He DID leave a tremendous body of work, I mean tremendous enough to leave no doubt.
What a truly great artist and inspiration to all who paint.