Spike Ress
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In spite of early success as a commercial artist, Ress felt the pull of fine art ever since he first held a brush. Weekends and vacations were devoted to pursuit of his own artistic development, traveling with paints and camping gear to find the diverse landscapes that inspire his work. In 1978 he left commercial art to pursue painting full-time. He began with a focus on watercolor, a medium he still finds challenging and exciting. After gaining national acclaim as a watercolor artist, Ress added oils to his repertoire. “I find the contrast between the way one must handle the paint and brushes in oil versus watercolor stimulates me to more creative and expressive use of both media,” He knows well, and loves the land and clear light of the American Southwest but the challenge of new subject matter in different parts of the world is always rejuvenating. “No matter where I am, I try to respond with direct honesty to what is before me. It is my aim to capture the way a scene feels, not just the way a scene looks. Whether it's the bright light of a hot Utah desert or a misty cold day in Alaska, I hope to communicate that feeling to the viewer.”
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