Tim Novara creating architectural art
Hello Tim, who are you?
I live in San Diego, California and make art that is itself a process. At first glance the viewer isn’t quite sure what they’re looking at and they get drawn into each painting to try and figure it out.
What do you do?
I create paintings that looks at specific spaces around the world, not in a literal representative manner, but rather in an analytical or diagrammatic one. Each painting is a process of trying to understand or interpret buildings, monuments, and pieces of the urban fabric as they relate to the individual. I studied architecture in college and have a love of urban design and history, so my paintings are an expression of my own curiosity.
How would you describe your style?
My style draws heavily on my architecture background and uses a lot of the techniques from that field. There are straight lines in pencil as the underpinning or structure of the painting, which come from city grids and building shapes. Color gets used in a diagrammatic way to highlight elements, fields, zones, paths of movement, etc. All of these elements get layered on top of each other, but the work maintains a very flat appearance like that of a traditional architectural drawing.
Do you have any goals right now?
My main goal is to keep pushing myself creatively and technically. I never want to be a person who is completely satisfied with what they have just created. Another goal I have is to just connect with more artists. I like hearing about what people are making, why, and what drives them.
How do you see art in general?
For me, art is the process of trying to understand, investigate, and interpret the relationships between the individual and the constructed world. It’s not about trying to create a particular image.
Closing words
When I started making art, I wanted it to have a positive impact on the world in some small way and not just be a picture on the wall. I decided that for every piece I sold, whether it was a tiny print or an original painting, I would donate a portion of the proceeds to a local non-profit organization. I call it my “art-for-good” mentality. Currently, I’m making donations to the San Diego LGBT Community Center.
Tim Novara ★ Artist resume
Tim Novara is a San Diego, California based artist whose work explores the constructed world of cities, buildings, monuments, and public spaces. He looks at the relationships between these objects and the individual self, with a specific sensitivity to history, movement, and scale. Each piece of art becomes an iterative process of sketching, diagramming, and analyzing these relationships on the canvas or wood panel. Color is employed in a diagrammatic way that connects back to the spaces as the artist initially experienced them. Tim’s artwork and his process are heavily influenced by his background in architecture. He earned his B.Architecture degree from Syracuse University in New York and spent a year studying abroad in Italy before relocating to San Diego.
Thank you, Tim.
Instagram: @timnovara
Web: timnovara.com
