TJ CUNNINGHAM

In August 2015 I celebrated my fifth year as a professional artist. During these years, I have found that I enjoy painting directly from life far more than painting from photographs. Whether I am working in the field with rocks stacked on my easel to keep it from blowing over in the wind, or spending hours carefully rendering in my studio, my greatest fulfillment comes from creating through direct observation.

The number of things that I find aesthetically compelling has grown very broad. Still, an authentic portrayal of light and color are the goals whether the subject is the beautiful variation of yellows in a sunflower’s petals or gleaming, reflected light on a rain-soaked horse. Every time I paint, I strive to create something more meaningful than all proceeding work.