Episode 62-Tori Rasche, oil painter from York, ME
I was first drawn to painting in southern Maine and the Seacoast area of New Hampshire through my work as a photographer for a local newspaper. Taking photos of people and scenes throughout the region instilled in me an interest in finding visual compositions which expressed a local sense of place. This interest in turn led me to explore painting as a medium to give me a more hands on method of illustrating my reaction to these scenes.
My subjects are predominantly landscapes and scenes that I encounter in my daily travels. They are often those that have chosen me and that have caused me to stop in my traveling and look more closely. It may simply be an instance of the interplay of light and shapes that intrigue me or a scene that speaks of its place. Color always attracts me and I strive to accurately capture the color as I perceive it in nature. When I look at my paintings I want to feel the atmosphere and hear the place speaking to me and be reminded of a larger story that may not be so obvious.
I paint in a representational style both from my studio and in plein air using oil on masonite or birch panels and often with an added top layer of linen. I use a simple palette of a warm and cool of each of the three primary colors to mix the colors I see.
Having begun my education in painting in 2013, I have found formative instruction through the wealth of classes and workshops available in the local area and namely from such generous artists as Todd Bonita, Tom Hughes, Jeremy Miranda, Stan Moeller, and Scott W. Prior.
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