Terry Houseworth is best known for his memorable last name (origin unknown). However, most locals know him for his captivating oil paintings. Terry is inspired by the simple act of painting straight from the heart, using paint to capture nature, scenery, and images that moved him most.
With a keen interest and plenty of practice, Terry learned two skills early in life; art and music. Starting with being self-taught and recognized for his artistic skills in high school, to an art degree, followed by a graphics career and business, and ending as a plein air and studio fine art painter. He has also been a musician for nearly his entire life.
As a full time artist, he is constantly exploring new ideas and methods in painting. Terry falls outside the confines of any particular artistic movement or period, but was significantly influenced by historic artists such as Syd Mead, Dali, Frank Frazetta, Richard Diebenkorn, M.C. Escher, Bernie Fuchs, and Picasso, and by present-day artists such as Scott Christenson, Clyde Aspevig, Robert Watts, Matt Smith, Mark Boedges, Bryan Mark Taylor, and Dean Mitchell. His approach is twofold: “Even though I continually strive for more expressiveness in my work, I also prefer, proportions and perspective to be relatively accurate; then the application of paint can be more playful.”
ARTIST STATEMENT
My compulsion to start a painting often times comes from an unyielding excitement that I get when I see an interesting landscape, building, object or even just a shadow or an abstract patch of light. If an observation strikes me and I don’t deal with it right away, sometimes it will haunt me until I finally paint it.
My goal is to capture whatever it is that drives that excitement and focus on that when I’m painting. That might include changing the composition a bit, eliminating distracting elements or modifying edges and colors.
After working with a variety of media over many years, oil paint is where I landed. It is very forgiving and provides for the ultimate expression of the scene for me, along with allowing for adjustments and corrections. I work almost exclusively on smooth surfaced Gessobord or wood panels.
Instagram: @terryhouseworth
