A BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT THE PAINTING
I've been painting and drawing as far back as I remember. My childhood fascination with cuckoo clocks and dinosaurs led to several crayon drawings which I've recently rediscovered in my parent's attic. My interest in art truly blossomed between 1987 and 1991 when I studied painting and drawing at The American University in Washington D.C.. Although AU had a smaller art program than most universities, the teachers were excellent. I learned how to utilize light, color, composition and learned how to work from life, or as they like to call it, "seeing". This was a challenging and sometimes frustrating process, especially since I had been working strictly from my imagination up to that point. Although I resented the rigidness and close-mindedness of the academic world for several years afterwards, I eventually gained a profound respect and appreciation for what I had been taught. My imagination now had the backbone and foundation it needed to run free.
My paintings are centered around three basic elements - the landscape, memory and imagination. I usually start a painting from some event in nature. Once a basic surface is established, my creative instincts kick in and a new direction is taken. Nothing is ever planned in advance. Once the paint hits the canvas, figures and landscapes are gradually pulled out of the crude mess until there is finally a sense of resolution. I never paint from photographs which I consider to be a pointless and obvious method.
I exhibited my paintings at various galleries for about 13 years. Although showing my work was necessary in order to gain initial exposure, I found the experience to be ultimately unrewarding. Most of the galleries I've dealt with followed their own agendas, using stockbroker tactics to make as much money as possible. Little effort was devoted to promoting the work and the obligatory framing costs were never shared. This "gallery vs. artist" conflict is ageless, however. Most galleries throughout history have been afraid of supporting genuine artists and are still content settling for mediocre commercialism.
My artwork has naturally evolved over the years, although the atmosphere remains relatively constant. I view each of my paintings as part of an unfolding story, although the story often takes unexpected twists and turns. I find it difficult describing my work to others and I have little patience for those who attempt to intellectually dissect art. I'm much more comfortable discussing the technical aspects of my work.
I paint exclusively in oils. There's something about the feel of it and the smell of it that I love. I avoid using acrylics in spite of their faster drying speed. Although I occasionally use acrylics for drawing, I feel that oils ultimately have more life on the canvas.
Between 1991 and 1995, I utilized larger plains of color in my paintings with ambiguous figures drifting in and out of hazy landscapes. In late 1996, my canvases became increasingly more detailed and animated. The stark planes of the past were reintroduced a few years later, merging with the more fluid and detailed line of the present. My iconography is constantly changing as well, with the earlier, isolated figures giving way to more outlandish beings. Regardless of what I'm painting, the imagery will always remain secondary to the timeless laws of painting. The figures are merely passing through the mystery and silence of the landscape.
Tor Lundvall, November 2007 (amended February 2010)
