Todd Mires

I'm an abstract painter from Spokane, WA. The compulsion for self-expression and escape from the world is what brings me back to the studio every night.

I approach painting from a non-objective standpoint. Painting is more a process of searching for a feeling than achieving a predetermined aesthetic.

I try to balance spontaneity and restraint—let things flow and evolve, while simultaneously trusting my judgement to know when to stop. I paint organically, non-linear and devoid of a plan for the outcome. While painting there’s a feeling of digging and searching for significance to reveal itself. My goal is to capture the significance at just the right moment, which is often the greatest challenge.

Some of my paintings resemble nature, space or organic material, but I always approach a piece from a non-objective standpoint. Texture and its relationship with light fascinates me, and there is an elusive, mysterious quality to the depth and contrast that texture creates. My aim as a painter is to structure the colors, shapes, texture and light in a compositionally significant manner to highlight this mystery.