Featured Artist: Paul Thisted

Paul is an artist who tells stories in the genre of early American painters Russell, Remington, and Homer. His Mom was a self-taught painter and she has been his creative inspiration. Because of her, he took a painting class in college which got him hooked. He then had two careers, the Air Force and teaching middle school math, before he resumed painting. After moving to Evergreen, he started with landscape painting workshops, then got serious and went to an Idaho workshop from Russian colorist Ovanes Berberian. He kept pushing his skills by learning from other prominent western artists, Jill Carver, G Russess Case, Dave Santillanes, and Ovanes again. He began painting cowboys and horses and the stories they represent and found his style and voice. Western images continue to be his creative focus to portray spirited scenes with vibrant color.

Paul paints in Evergreen, is active in two art gallery co-ops, and displays his paintings in several locations. Painting is his meditation, and he calls it his happy poetry time.

Please visit Paul’s website to view more.

1. Tell us a little about your work and artistic practice?
I paint 2-3 days a week in my Evergreen studio and work at two local art gallery co-ops. I also display my art at nine area locations. Each September I am in the Evergreen Open Door Studio Tour and show 30 paintings to the public and do a painting demonstration. I sell oils, giclees, prints, and cards, and do pen & ink sketches with watercolors.

2. How has your creative process been impacted or evolved during the pandemic?
During the recent pandemic of 2020 & 2021, my painting has continued at a non-routine steady pace, yet more paintings have sold in 2021 than ever before.

3. Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration from pictures of Western characters in action, movies like Dances with Wolves, Tombstone, local rodeo images, and local scenes that inspire me.

4. Do you have a favorite piece of art that someone else has created?
I have an unsigned Ovanes Berberian oil painting which I started at his workshop, and he took my brush and finished it! It’s my motivator to remember his teaching of ‘blending’ and juicy Russian colorism.

5. Tell us about one of YOUR pieces that you have been the proudest of?
A painting that I have been the proudest of is the one that just sold, regardless of size. A painting I was proud to sell was “Kittys Saloon” with “Gunsmoke’s” Miss Kitty standing at the saloon bar with 6 cowboys drinking. This was on display at The Majestic Gallery in Idaho Springs when I was working there, and two ladies came in and were interested in my art, so I told them the story of the painting and they said, “Sold!”

6. Who are your biggest influences?
My biggest influences are Charlie Russell and Frederick Remington for their dramatic cowboy and Indian paintings, Winslow Homer for his mastery of seascape energy, Maurice Vlamink for his wild Fauve colors, and Nicolai Fechin for his mastery of the esthetic qualities of portraiture.

Meet Paul Thisted

See Paul's Work