Jo Tunmer

British painter Jo Tunmer looks to nature’s solitary moments for inspiration, creating paintings that give traditional landscapes a contemporary perspective and allow the spectator to take part in nature’s stillness. Her works of art are often large in scale and her methods are both traditional and innovative; her conventional use of oil paints, canvas, wood, and paper are contrasted by her layering techniques, her frequent use of pure graphite, and “scratches” that reveal concealed hues. Her “scratching” approach, in particular, creates palpable depth on the otherwise flat medium.

Her British landscapes are aesthetically comparable to the works of Richard Diebenkorn and David Hockney, in turn reflecting her extended stay in Southern California. Her compositions are often characterized by a low horizon with minimal vegetation, allowing the billowing blue-violet skies to dominate the picture plane. Her paintings have an almost photographic power in their ability to capture transient moments in time, allowing the spectator to reflect on Tunmer’s memories and envision their own.