I paint landscapes, waterscapes and cityscapes in a style I call “raw, real and reimagined.” They are original compositions of “real” subjects that combine the influences of the “raw,” expressive paint style of the Bay Area Figurative Movement with the hyper colorful effects of the Northern California painters.
Boats of Morro Bay, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36" (121 x 91 cm) I wanted this painting to be a rule-breaker. First, traditional landscapes and seascapes were painted in a horizontal format. To attain a fresh look, I painted this in a vertical format and chose not to show a horizon line. Second, like a puzzle, the extreme close-up viewpoint challenges the viewer to fill in the rest of the image. Also included in this painting are three different types of light: bright light on the deck, shimmering light reflecting in the water and reflected light on the boat window.
Pacifica, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40" (76 x 101 cm) In this painting of the California coast, I wanted to create a linear landscape that combined sections painted in an “expressive style” (cliffs and rocks) with sections of larger planes painted in flat solid color (sky, grassy areas, fog bank and sand). I added colorful lines to the edges of forms to create halo effects and add linear movement. Even the shadows have unexpected and reimagined colors. I eliminated unnecessary details and added a fog layer for compositional purposes. The overall effects blend reality with abstraction to create a unique perception.
After finding an interesting and unique composition, I “reimagine” the scene to discover the essence of a subject by first reducing all of the unnecessary information to its basic and essential shapes. To push beyond the familiar world, I create luscious planes of uniform color and highlight its linear structure to strengthen the composition. I experiment using colorful lines to separate shapes, create halo effects and enhance shadows.
Buildings of the Bay, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30" (101 x 76 cm) As with many of my paintings, I try to blend the real world and my imagination. I chose colors that complemented each other and helped to create the proper mood. Using painting knives, and an expressive paint style, I marbleized the colors to create the distant mountains and buildings in the background. Then with minimal information, and using large planes of bold flat color, I created the large building in the foreground.
The Bicycle Rider, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30" (101 x 76 cm) I reimagined a brighter, more colorful sky and simplified the scene by reducing all of the unnecessary information. I added colorful edges to isolate and intensify the shapes and to create linear movement. I was also drawn to the challenge of painting the texture of the bicycle spokes and capturing the daylight glowing through the globe on top of the post. The blue shadows of the bike, post and concrete barriers were vital to the composition and froze the scene in time.
Unlike traditional landscape paintings that were painted in a horizontal format, I prefer to paint vertical landscapes to give them an interesting and unique perspective. I continuously explore the effects of color, light and shadows, and I experiment with new techniques to develop my own artistic language and style. The final painting blends reality with subtle abstraction to create a unique and personal vision. —
About the artist
Timothy Mulligan
Timothy Mulligan received a degree in fine art from California State University, Sacramento, and has studied under notable artists like Gregory Kondos, Gerald Walburg and Peter VandenBerge. In 2022, Mulligan completed his 10th solo art exhibition, which was held at the Sue Greenwood Fine Art Gallery in Laguna Beach. He has been selected for numerous group exhibitions including multiple exhibits at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, where his work was featured in live auctions. In addition, he has exhibited in Lines and Colors: Celebrating Degas at the Carnegie Art Center, Turlock, California, which included works by artists exhibiting influences of Degas in conjunction with the Edgar Degas Exhibit; 58th Juried Exhibition at the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California; Left Coast Annual Juried Exhibition at the Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, California; and the 100 Years 100 Artists show at the Kondos Gallery in Sacramento. He has also received numerous awards in group exhibits and art competitions.
Mulligan’s works are included in the permanent collections of the Hilbert Museum of California Art, Chapman University, the City of Sacramento, the Sacramento City College Permanent Collection and private collections throughout the United States and internationally.
His paintings have been featured in over 20 magazines including British Vogue and International Artist sister title American Art Collector. This year, Mulligan will be showing work in a group exhibition at Chloe Fine Art in San Francisco this April as well as a solo show at Sue Greenwood Fine Art in Laguna Beach, California, this summer. Mulligan is represented by the following California-based galleries: Chloe Gallery, Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Dawson Cole Fine Art, Elliott Fouts Gallery, Gallery North and Bryant Street Gallery.
Contact at
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timothymulliganfineart.com