ABOUT THE ARTISTS

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REID RICHARDSON

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“Trees have innate characteristics that parallel human existence. They help us make sense of the world without being overly direct. The most recognizable similarities are physical. Its branches outstretch like nurturing arms bearing fruit to give new life. Its roots dig deep within the soil affirming its rich history. We grow as a tree does, planting ourselves firmly in the ground of modern society and evolving with the ever-changing seasons.”

 

ROBERT STRIFFOLINO

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Trees have been a theme that has surfaced continually over all the years that I have been painting. They are beautiful peaceful quiet living beings.

 

In one ongoing series, “Tree Squeeze” I confine myself to a 3:1 vertical ratio. The subject is a structure of vertical tree forms and light compressed, as in a forest.

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What stimulates me in this series is the continued desire to bring forth the essence or spirit of the subject as well as the emotion within myself. With limitations set, the painting process (formal elements--color, structure, texture, etc) continues to progress so that the tree forms seem to dissolve into paint and color yet retain the spirit of what they are. Compare “Tree Squeeze #2” and “Tree Squeeze #8”. This is all true of the “Tree Quilt” series as well.

I want to FEEL the spirit of the trees but SEE it as a painting.

 

Think of a line of poetry as opposed to a line of prose.

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AMY CLAY

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"I don’t remember when first trees appeared in my paintings but it was years ago and I think they were Baobab trees from Africa. Then the local Cottonwoods showed up. They’d come and go in my paintings as they pleased, periodically presenting themselves, and then hiding away. Much as they do in my life. Sometimes I notice them, sometimes not. 

 

But always they are solid and faithful friends and guardians. 

 

Then I fell for trees in a big way about 5 years ago while living in London. It was a short walk to the vast and wooded Hampstead Heath, and my daily perambulations through the woods resulted in a huge number of tree photos. Each oak and beech and ash (who knows what else!) reached and contorted as though in a contemporary dance production. Some of them were many hundreds of years old, and had distinct personalities. All of them were noble and grand. 

 

About that time, I was given the opportunity to have a solo exhibition at the Hampstead Museum, and the trees of the Heath were the perfect theme. I happily showcased my new arboreal friends, and since that time I have revisited these same Heath trees countless times, including in this current series of paintings.

 

Trees are shelter, they give freely of their fruits and nuts, they shade us from the summer sun, and vividly blush before dropping their leaves. They give the soil structure, and house birds and animals. They are the lungs of this earth, and the heartbeat too. I can’t think of anything more worthy of our appreciation and admiration than the great and glorious tree."

 

TIM ALTHAUSER

 

It's no surprise that Tim’s paintings are so popular. He captures the liberated feeling you get when you are out in nature, gazing up at the sky, listening to the leaves rustling in the breeze.You would think Tim has spent his entire life staring up at trees...and the fact is, he has. Before becoming an artist, Althauser cut timber and built log homes in Arizona and Colorado for over 18 years 

 

Then at the age of 38 he suffered a severe brain hemorrhage. He had to again learn to walk and take care of himself. It was after that experience that he began to teach himself to paint. He started with cowboy boots and churches, but found he could put so much more into his art when he painted what he knew; trees. He has spent so much time in the woods that he didn’t need to look at a tree to paint one.  Tim loves painting aspens, the forest renewal trees.

 

If you look close, unexpected colors like lapis lazuli, genuine malachite, and turquoise are threaded through the trunks of his trees. Tim remarks, "My paintings are not abstract, but there are a lot of colors that do not belong there, I believe it enhances the beauty,"

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