Painting landscapes is a way for me to attune to nature. When I am painting, I try to remain receptive
towards the envirionment, to be still, and see how everything comes together. I want to slow my eye down, in order to identify, then paint in a harmonious way, all the various relationships I see. Once the painting process begins,
I strive to get out of the way, so the painting can paint itself.

My goal is to get to the configuration of my subject; for me iti is more important to paint what the
subject "feels" like ratther than what it looks like, and when I no longer know what to state or edit out,
the painting is finished.
I then say a prayer that the painting will take on a long life of its own.

The Oak Group were recipients of the 2006 Santa Barbara Beautiful Award.

View Thomas Van Stein's Resume