Timothy McMahon / Artist

Timothy was born in Waterloo, Iowa in 1954 and studied at the University of Iowa and The University of Northern Iowa. He has earned more than 30 graduate hours mostly in ceramics, but has always considered himself a painter.

He taught for nearly 25 years in Iowa while continually painting, drawing, printmaking and working in ceramics. In 2001 he suffered the loss of his wife of 24 years and 2002 he remarried, moved to Charlotte and found a teaching job at Hopewell High School in Huntersville.

He also returned to the studio to work in earnest.

Currently, Timothy teaches ceramics and 2 classes of Art History in the Midwood concurrent program.

Artist Statement:

When asked if he believed in God, Henri Matisse replied, “When I’m working.” Similarly, my painting helps me make sense of life. When I am painting or contemplating the recent work, I am optimistic, joyful and happy. My work is an essential part of my feeling whole, complete. I have drawn and painted for 35 years. During that time I have created paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures and ceramic objects. I love the variety of visual expression. I am focused currently on painting landscapes. Over the years I have traveled, mostly to the Western United States, where I have photographed and sketched the natural environment. I draw on this documentation as visual and emotional inspiration for oil paintings.

My historical mentor is Cezanne, who models my brushwork. Cezanne spoke of making paintings, “that are a kind of teaching.” I view my paintings that way. I try to balance the literal, objective aspects of the subject with the expressive gesture of the execution. I draw on the pure, broken color of Impressionism as a starting point. However, the intense elation I feel hiking down a mountain trail or walking barefoot through the surf must be expressed, not merely described. Sisley wrote, “The scenes we paint are the place we are in love with.” I love the wild places in the mountains and the restless movement of water. Images of waterfalls allow me to show the jagged planes of the mountains juxtaposed with the ever-changed light on moving water. The mountains, forests, fields, lakes rivers and the oceans provide inspiration for my eye and brush. I humbly attempt to describe and express the sublime majesty and complexity of the natural environment.

The dramatic gesture of DeKooning and Kline inspire me. Although I greatly admire and appreciate non-objective painting, I prefer to find the “abstract” in objective, literal scenes. With broad brushstrokes I attempt to capture light. The brushwork evokes rather than copies the complex forms in nature. I have stopped drawing on the canvas preliminary to painting. I often block in the darkest darks as a structure on which to “hang” the rest of the colors and values. I never use black. My rule is, “All light is color. The shadow is the complement.” Descriptive or local color is often replaced with more expressive, lyrical color scheme.

Even though I’ve worked steadily for decades and filled portfolios with mostly works on paper, I feel like an emerging artist who desires gallery representation and private patronage. I am actively seeking exhibition opportunities.