Tom Hoitsma’s art can be tran- scendent. The size of the work, the heavily layered paint and the almost sculptural quality of the 4-inch-deep canvases create a dynamic visual experience. “Something happens when I create work at a certain scale,” Hoitsma observes. “In all of my work a sense of the phys- ical is very important. Putting the brush in paint, placing the paint on the canvas or wood. The goal is for the painting to change the air in the room.” Hoitsma studied with world-
renowned art historian and author Harry F. Gaugh, who was integral to fostering Hoitsma’s interest and understanding of the “monumental” large-scale abstract expressionist painters of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. While still attending college, Hoitsma had the opportunity to intern with the celebrated feminist art- ist Miriam Schapiro. This experi- ence changed the course of his work and continues to influence his painting to this day.
“Exploring how specific com- binations of marks and colors affect me in profound ways is the focus of my work today,” he says. “I refer to my current large-scale paintings as de- constructed landscapes, and while the starting point is often inspired by landscape and/or the natural world, the objective is a vibrant, tactile visual experience.”
