Tom Hoerber
Watercolor
TOM HOERBER
After working 45 years as a make-up artist in the TV and film industry, retirement afforded me the freedom to continue to express myself through watercolor painting, utilizing the rugged California coast as endless inspiration.
Having always been drawn to the meditative process of art-making, I previously worked with colored pencils before graduating to the expansive possibilities of watercolors. I saw my make-up work as a vast source of creative expression. Now, I get to devote myself full-time to painting on my own terms, right next to the Pacific Coast which I have loved for all my life.
Even more than the process of painting, I most enjoy day trips to coastal cities with my camera, taking photographs which serve as inspiration for my art. I am drawn to the old, the historical, and the weathered. From that first photograph to the final framing, each painting is a loving record of my passion and peace of mind.
My style has evolved over time as I continue to gain inspiration from artists featured in watercolor magazines. I now mostly use wet into wet on high grade paper, and am experimenting with the intersection of realism and abstraction. In this way, I can highlight the aging details of a ship, pier, or building, while also evoking the otherworldly feel of walking through fog, tasting sea spray, or a coastal sunset.
I appreciate opportunities to participate in local art shows with the help of my wife of over thirty years, to whom I am indebted for her artistic eye and words of encouragement. Art shows have allowed me to connect one on one with people through commissions, expanding my subject matter to include the important visuals my clients would like to have immortalized in their homes.
