Thomas Hjelm

 

In conversation with Humph Hack - Curator

 

 

Thomas was born in Oslo. I asked him about his choice of location in this country.

“I was still very young when we first moved to Devon in 1987. After my university days it was definitely my intention to return – and this was very much to do with my love of the sea and being by the coast. I later moved to Cornwall in 2009, and I have appreciated seeing my son Harry be able to enjoy his childhood here”.

   

You have told me that your wife also makes art and that she has been an inspiration and support.

“Megan is originally from South Africa, and in her student days she attained a degree in Fine Art. She enjoys making various types of prints including pattern-making, screen printing, and gelli-plate prints. She is very talented, and passionate about creating art”.

  

Why choose Oils rather than Acrylic, Watercolour or any other medium?

“When I first painted with oils I knew this was the right medium for me. It really comes down to the texture and richness of colour. I often paint quite thickly using an impasto style technique, with the brush marks strong and visible”.

  

Your abstracts often have titles which could be landscapes.

“I would say that many of my artworks are semi-abstract, in the sense that when I am painting there often emerges a picture reminiscent of a landscape/seascape. No doubt the inspiration is due to living near the coast. I appreciate natural surroundings and places that are spacious and quiet”.

I asked Thomas how his work had developed ?

“In the beginning when I first started to paint I would tend to overthink, and this would stunt creativity. Over time I have allowed myself to cast off any hindrances or notion of expectations that could negatively impact my art. I would like to share this idea, to encourage others, as I believe we produce our best work this way”.

Thomas has sold well on-line but like many other artists, he has exhibited his work in local galleries, in Devon and Cornwall, as well as on artgallery.co.uk

When asked about the future, Thomas told me, “ I want to grow in confidence and embark on creating more ambitious works of art – in particular, I would like to produce larger paintings and have these shown in galleries both locally and further afield”.

 In the time I have known him, that development is well under way.

 

November 2024

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