About Me
My background
I am an artist living in Redmond, Oregon USA. I had a long career as a graphic designer in Seattle, Washington, and later in Bend, Oregon. I've always had a love for art, but that was kept in on the back burner, simmering, as I focused on a career in graphic design (in print, memorabilia, textiles, and more). That career was my focus as I concentrated on providing for my family. Art was mostly a hobby, exploring various media including acrylics, gouache, pen-and-ink, oils, sculpture, and digital illustration.
Now that I've retired from my graphics career I'm able to devote my full attention to what, for me, is the purest form of artistic expression, oil painting. I'm still discovering my style as l paint landscapes, people, wildlife, machinery, architecture... anything that captures my eye and moves me. Despite the encroaching grey hairs, I approach art with fresh eyes, constantly exploring, questioning, adapting, and learning.
Education
I first was introduced to serious art theory and media at Highline Community College, south of Seattle. There I studied drawing, painting, design, sculpture, and more. This was purely for the love of art, never considering it as a means of supporting myself.
Later I realized that I could use my talents in design and image creation in the world of graphic design. I "auditioned" (demonstrating my artistic skills) at The Burnley School of Professional Art in Seattle, and began my serious education there in 1980. While attending, the school was aquired by the Art Institutes and became the Art Institute of Seattle. There I studied under professional designers and artists, getting a firm foundation in design, graphics, and a wide range of art media.
Earlier Work
While working as a designer, I explored various forms of artistic expression. One form that captured my attention early on was using my professional graphic experience to create pictures using computers. I did a number of automotive illustrations (cars being another of my passions) using software I learned on the job. The primary software used were FreeHand (vector-based image creation, similar to Adobe Illustrator) and Corel Painter (pixel-based images). I did this for a few years, selling prints at motorsport events and for occasional poster commissions.
Eventually I moved away from computer graphics, as I fell more in love with traditional artistic tools.
Preferred Medium
I paint using water miscible oil paint (also called water soluble oil paint or water mixable oil paint). This uses an emulsifier which allows it to be thinned and cleaned up with water, making it possible to eliminate the use of volatile compounds like turpentine that may be harmful if inhaled. Water miscible oil paint can be mixed and applied using the same techniques as traditional oil-based paint, but can be removed from brushes, pallets, and rags with ordinary soap and water. In all other aspects it is virtually identical to tradtional oils in style and permanence.
Limitations
Everyone has to overcome challenges in life. While in my thirties I learned that I suffer from essential (benign) tremors, a medical condition characterized by involuntary rhythmic contractions and relaxations (oscillations or twitching movements). It affects me mostly in my hands and sometimes my voice. The cause is unknown, and there is no known cure. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease. The symptoms typically worsen with stress and fatigue.
It's certainly inconvenient in my avocation but I can largely get around the symptoms by bracing my right hand with my left, by not painting if I get tired, and just accepting what's possible and what's not when I paint.
My Signature
I've always found it distracting when an artist splashes a large signature at the bottom of their painting. To me, a signature should be subtle, almost unnoticeable. I use this mark as my signature.
At first it may simplyt look like abstracts swooshes, but it can be divided into three parts, representing my initials: RJT.