Artist Biography & Facts

Timothy R Thies

The following biography is provided to AskART.com by Kristen Thies, wife of the artist:

Timothy R. Thies, born in Boone, Iowa, has traveled throughout New England, France, Colorado, and Vermont, and he is drawn to each place by the promise of magic found in the rich subtleties of color and light. "I seek to capture rare moments of beauty- the light and contrast of a landscape, the anatomy of a maple tree, the colors in a still life arrangement, or the patterns of light gently touching my model's face," says Thies.

Thies' painting career began in 1981 when he accepted a scholarship to study with Nelson Shanks at the National Academy of Design in NY. In August 2000, Timothy R. Thies won the Best of Show- Founder's Award, for his painting titled, Winter Birch, from The Bennington Center for The Art's national juried show "Impressions of New England."

In October 1999, Thies won the Grand Prize Award for his oil painting, Garden On Water Street, from American Artist Magazine's national Floral Competition. Then International Artist Magazine highlighted another oil titled, Room with A View, in their Master Painters of The World Showcase. The Southern Vermont Arts Center hosted a Solo Show of Thies' new works, February 12-March 8, 2000.
He has studied with Richard Schmid, Clyde Aspevig and Len Chmiel, and his paintings have also been featured in Art Talk, Cape Cod Life, The Artist's Magazine, Southwest Art and Wild Life Art Magazine. In 2001, International Artist Magazine will highlight his oils in a feature length article.

Thies' paintings have been exhibited by The Attleboro Museum, in MA, The Harvard Club of Boston, The Copley Society of Boston, The Colorado Governor's Invitation Show, The Southern Vermont Arts Center, and The Bennington Center For the Arts t and The Boston International Fine Art Show.

His works are in the collections of The Cape Museum of Fine Art, Chrysler Corp., W.L. Gore and Assoc., The BioElectric Company, and The Hollister Corporation among others.

Magazine articles referencing Timothy Thies include:

"Welcome Spring Capturing the Glory of a A Garden,"  Editors, Fine Art Connoisseur, March 2006 (Color)

"Is Plein-Air Undervalued," by B. Eric Rhoads, Plein Air Magazine, September, 2004 (Color)

"Capturing Life," by Eric B. Rhoads, Plein Air Magazine, September, 2004 (Color)

"Innocence and Honesty," Art of the West, by Myma Zanetell, July 2004 (Color)

"Events-Coast to Coast, Southwest Art, by Alice Herrin, October 2003 (Color)

"Using Charts to Achieve Color," American Artist by M. Stephen Doherty, March 2003 (Color)

"10 Finalists of the American," American Artist, By Editors, October 1, 1999 (Color)

"Shared Wisdom," Southwest Art, by Margaret Brown, etc., June 1998, Color

Timothy R. Thies (1954-2010)

Though his life drew to a close far too soon, Timothy R. Thies left an extraordinary legacy of fine art paintings in private and corporate collections nationwide, including the collection of Jack Warner, founder of the Westervelt/Warner Museum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  Recognized during his lifetime as one of America's finest artists, his work was displayed in many select exhibitions including the California Art Club Gold Medal Invitational Exhibition, Richard Schmid & His Influence Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club, The Colorado Governor's Invitational, The American Society of Portrait Artist's  competition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Boston International Fine Arts Show, The Copley Society of Boston, and the National Arts Club in New York, among others.

Thies dedicated his life to the pursuit of artistic excellence and studied with many of America's most distinguished artists.  Born in 1954, Timothy graduated from the Colorado Institute of Art in 1976.  He continued his studies at The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Art in New York with one of the greatest 20th Century master painters, Nelson Shanks, as well as at the Provincetown Arts Center with renowned color master Henry Hensche.  In 1997, Thies was invited to become the protégé of internationally renowned painter and author, Richard Schmid.  With Schmid and others, Thies became a founding member of The Putney Painters at Village Arts of Putney, Vermont. And it was during Plein Air painting sessions with Schmid that Thies blossomed as a landscape artist. 

Viewing Thies's landscape paintings, the viewer is able to perceive not just visible objects but also the invisible vital forces that animate them. 

As Thies once explained, "I paint what excites me.  It can be anything, a combination of colors, the light, the mood…or something greater.  Something transcendent.  It hits you in the gut, like a spark. It's Nature's wake up call.  It says to me, 'Capture this moment.' When I paint, it's that spark I'm trying to recreate and pass on to the viewer."

Thies's ability to express his perception of Nature's essence in his paintings has resulted in winning many awards, including the Best of Show Award at The Bennington Center for the Arts and two awards in the top one hundred paintings of the Landscape Category selected by the International Art Renewal Center's 2nd Annual Salon Competition (which had more than 1,500 entries).

In a 2004 interview Thies said, "You can't memorize the entire scene, but you can internalize small details, like the thickness of the air, the feel of the wind, and even the sounds and smells…the interesting thing is that I can go back to an image and remember exactly how I was feeling at the moment I painted it. In fact, this approach makes every painting I do a self-portrait, because they are all about me- about where I was in my life at that specific moment.

For this reason, the subjects Thies chose were personal and varied.  He explained, "I don't paint what I think will sell. I paint what inspires me, what I call 'Divine Inspiration.'

While some artists might find that a little crazy, I feel a painter should be able to paint everything that inspires them. Markets change, but if you're painting for yourself, for your soul, your work will endure."

Timothy R. Thies died peacefully at home on April 13, 2010 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho with his wife and partner, Kristen by his side.  A month later, Thies's painting, titled New Dawn Rose Arbor, was exhibited at the American Masters Exhibition at NY's Salmagundi Club and Richard Schmid paid personal tribute to his life and his art.  In addition, American Artist magazine will honor his life and Timothy's Landscape paintings with a feature article in their October 2010 issue.

Timothy R. Thies was born in 1954 and raised in the small town of Oscaloosa, Iowa. His fascination with art began in 1962 when at the age of eight he was introduced to the works of Andrew and N.C. Wyeth-he has been drawing and painting ever since.

Always fond of adventure, Thies traveled out west in 1973 and was awestruck by the majestic Rocky Mountains. It was during this trip that he decided to make Denver his home and to attend the Colorado Institute of Art. After graduation, Thies formed his own graphic design and illustration business until 1981 when he made the life-changing decision to paint full time. After winning a full scholarship, he went on to study at The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Art in New York City with American painter, Nelson Shanks.

In the ensuing years he took workshops with Clyde Aspevig, Len Chmiel, David Leffel and Richard Schmid, and also studied anatomy and sculpting with Jon Zahourek at the Loveland Academy of Art, in northern Colorado.

Then in 1996, Thies was given a rare invitation to join Richard Schmid's painting group held weekly at the Loveland Academy. Two years later at the request of Richard Schmid, Timothy Thies and his wife Kristen, Schmid's literary agent and publicist, moved their home and studios to the lush Green Mountains of southern Vermont.

Since 1999, Thies' work has received national and international recognition. In 2002, International Artist published his work and a chapter on plein-aire painting in their book, Expressing the Visual Language of the Landscape. Thies' feature article also appeared in the April/May 2002 issue of their magazine. In March of 2003, his oil, Winter Birch was featured on the cover of American Artist and Stephen M. Doherty, executive editor, also published an article detailing Thies' method for achieving color harmony.

His paintings have won numerous awards and are collected widely throughout America. His works have been exhibited in the Settler's West Invitational, The Colorado Governor's Invitational, The American Society of Portrait Artist's competition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Bennington Center for the Arts, The Boston International Fine Arts Show, The Copley Society of Boston, and in Whistle Pik Gallery's 2003 Miniature Invitational, among others.

Artist Statement"
I feel very fortunate to be an artist. Even on cloudy days, Nature lures me outside to experience the stillness of the forest. Days like these allow me to become introspective... My thoughts meander and unfold like the painting process itself and I am reminded of the freedom I experienced as a boy. The only sounds I hear are my footsteps on the path and perhaps the call of a distant bird. With pochade box and canvas in hand, my excitement grows as I approach the site of my next painting. In the quiet surrounding me, I notice that the colors of the landscape seem to merge and become unified by the subtleties of soft edges. Overcast light is very mysterious and slowly I sink into the rhythm of Nature as my painting unfolds with each stroke of my brush.