About

Todd Mires is an American abstract painter living in Eastern Washington. Originally trained in fashion design, he branched out to painting while attending school. Todd utilizes various layering techniques to create atmospheric work. Despite his approach being non-objective and non-representational, a stylistic trend reveals itself. His work can be seen in galleries in the region and private collections across the country.

Artist Statement

Painting serves to satisfy my compulsion for self-expression and escape from the world. The clock strikes midnight and I'm pulled back into the studio. I always paint late in the evening/early morning when the hum and buzz of the has quieted.

All my work is titled by the date it was finished. I do this to make my work a chronological record and representation of my emotional state and to avoid pushing a personal meaning of each piece on the viewer. I'd rather the viewer derive their own meaning, feeling, and significance.

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 landscapes, nature, space or organic material, but I always approach a piece from a non-objective standpoint. My aim as a painter is to structure the colors, shapes, texture and light in a compositionally significant manner.

My hope is that my work provide questions, intrigue and a sense of mystery.