Timothy Rees was fascinated with drawing throughout his youth and after high school pursued a degree in animation.  The pull to painting portraits and figures was strong, however, leading him to learn the craft in the open studios of the Palette and Chisel in Chicago.  After one year he joined the staff of instructors, and soon began teaching workshops locally and abroad while showing his work in galleries. He went on to develop and teach a classical art program for the Scottsdale Artist School, then formed his own atelier, where apprentices studied under him full time. In his spare time, he recently completed a Bachelors in Justice and Ethics through University of Iowa, and formed a 501c3 nonprofit called Bridges to Art, bringing economic opportunity through arts programing to geographically remote and underserved regions of the world. His work has hung in museums across the country, as well as the European Museum of Modern Art in Spain. 

Artist Statement

I am fascinated by a range of subjects and different techniques, from my impressionist plein air paintings, to striking figurative abstract blended work, to naturalistic outdoor figure paintings of women and children. While some of my work has a narrative or message, the most important thing with my paintings is to add to the inherent beauty of the world while exploring what it means to be human through the visual experience of paint. 

Awards

• Second Honor, International Portrait Competition, Portrait Society of America, 2022
• First Honor, International Portrait Competition, Portrait Society of America, 2021
• First Prize, Members Only Competition, Portrait Society of America, 2020
• People’s Choice Award, Beaux Arts, Scottsdale Artists’ School, 2017
• Gallery Award, International Salon, Art Renewal Center, 2016
• People’s Choice Award, Beaux Arts, Scottsdale Artists’ School, 2016
• People’s Choice Award, Beaux Arts, Scottsdale Artists’ School, 2015
• People’s Choice Award, Gold Medal Competition, Palette and Chisel, 2012

Select Publications

• The Renaissance of Tim Rees, Fine Art Connoisseur, October 2021
• Cover Artist, Sasee, February 2019
• Art of the Portrait, International Artist, 2019
• About the Cover Artist, Pink, September 2017
• Artist To Watch, Finding Beauty in Figures, Southwest Art, January 2014
• Artist of the Month, Timothy Rees, Phoenix Magazine, August 2014
• Variety Creates Balance, International Artist, November 2013
• Experimentations in Oil, American Art Collector, December 2010