I paint representationally and mostly in oils, both scenes observed and those imagined. I am sometimes inspired by music, often by animals, and always by the atmospheric play of light falling throughout the day and drifting away at night. I like a sense of narrative and feeling of place and character, and so I attempt to manipulate my paint to realize these feelings. I often see the world in deep, vibrating layers, and I do my best to paint in a way that reflects this.

Small landscapes or drawings are painted or drawn on the spot and then modified as needed in the studio. Larger works are realized after a long process of sketching, drawing, oil studies, and muddling through. Because a painting may always head in a thousand different directions, studies may sometimes ultimately exist as independent statements of their own. In actuality, there are no studies or final versions — there are simply different versions of endless possibilities. I wish I had the time to explore them all.

To learn more about Jeff Thomsen and his artwork, visit Cerulean Arts.