Thomas Buchs – Oil Painting
June 1 – July 30, 2020
ARTIST’S BIO
Thomas attended Layton School of Art and became an Illustrator, creating artwork for advertising and children’s books for many national and local companies during the last 46 years. During summers he exhibited at Art Fairs and also did Pastel Portraits.
Recently Thomas has been doing Plein Air Painting ( painting from life outdoors). Much of his current work is representative of this discipline. He tries to capture the light and atmosphere of a scene within a few hours. Thomas believes that a painting is not just a two dimensional illusion, but also that of a moment in life, captured by an artist on canvas.
Thomas is a founding member of Wisconsin Plein Air Painters Association. The WIPAPA has been established as a state wide fellowship of artists dedicated to promoting and practicing the traditional discipline of Plein Air painting. Members seek to honestly interpret the natural and man-made beauty and diversity of Wisconsin’s landscapes and culture. We will strive to enhance member’s skills and reputations by providing regular opportunities to paint outdoors together, and to critique our work and share our expertise with fellow artists in order to maintain the highest standards of the Plein Air tradition of painting.
Thomas states he has found that while doing a painting outdoors he is immersed in the moment, later when he look at the painting ” I can remember all the things that went on as I painted, the weather, the birds singing, a small animal moving through the scene, people who have stopped to talk to me.” The memories are all part of the painting.
Plein Air Painting events include;
3rd place in Quick Paint – 2008 Downer Street Event
1st place in Quick Paint – 2008 Mid-Summer Brush
1st place in Quick Paint – 2009 Mid-Summer Brush
Honorable Mention at IPAPA First Brush of Spring 2009
1st place in Painting – 2010 Wauwatosa Plein Air and Village Affair
3rd place in Dockside Quick Paint 2010 Door County Plein Air Festival
3rd place in Oil at the 2011 IPAPA First Brush of Spring
2nd place – 2012 Richfield Historical Society Art at the Mill- Plein Air Event
2nd Artist Choice Award – 2013 Cedarburg Plein Air Event
1st place – 2013 Richfield Historical Society Art at the Mill- Plein Air Event
1st place – 2013 Historic Third Ward Plein Air Event
People’s Choice at 2013 New Berlin Plein Air Event
Merit Award at 2014 IPAPA First Brush of Spring
Best of Show and People’s Choice at Paint the Point Plein Air Event – Mineral Point
1st place at 2014 New Berlin Plein Air Event
Shorewood Historical Society Award and People’s Choice at 2014 Shorewood Plein Air Event
2nd place-2014-Theodore Robinson Plain Air Event
3rd Place 2015 Paint the Point Winter Edition-Mineral Point
Beloit College Patron of the Arts Award-2015 Beloit Friends of the Riverfront Plein Air Event
Honorable Mention-2015 and 2016 Historic 3rd Ward Plein Air Event
2nd Place Nocturne 2015 and 2016 Paint the Point Summer Plein Air Event-Mineral Point
1st Place Quick Paint 2015 Catiris Plein Air Event
Merit Award 2015 Between the Bluffs Plein Air Event -LaCrosse
1st place 2016 Pewaukee Waterfront Art Fair Plein Air Event
People’s Choice at 2016 New Berlin Plein Air Event
1st place-2016 Historical Evansville Category -Theodore Robinson Plain Air Event
Best Field Study-Field to Finish Show 2017 IPAPA First Brush of Spring
Merit Award- 2017 IPAPA First Brush of Spring
2nd Place Quick Paint 2017 Milwaukee Museum Mile Plein Air Event
Artist’s Choice and Judge’s Choice for best nocturne at the 2018 Fairfield Plein Air Event.
Best representation of Fairfield at the 2018 Fairfield Plein Air Event.
Merit Award at 2019 IPAPA First Brush of Spring.
2nd place Best of Cedarburg Award 2019 Cedarburg Plein Air event.
3rd place Artist’s Choice 2019 Cedarburg Plein Air event.
Juried Art Exhibitions;
Firefly Art Festival – 2008-2009-2012-2013-2014-2015-2016
Milwaukee Domes Art Festival – 2010-2011-2012-2013
Hidden River Art Festival -2010-2011-2012-2013
Plymouth Art Fair -2010-2011
The Little Show-Cedarburg -2011
Stevens Point Art Festival-2012-2013
Richfield Historical Society Art at the Mill- 2013
2014 National Oil and Acrylic Painters “Best of America” Show
One Man Show-October 2015 month long at the Beloit Fine Arts Incubator
Richeson 75 2013 Still Life and Floral Show -2 Finalist and 4 Meritorious
Richeson 75 2015 Small Works Show -Finalist
League of Milwaukee Artists 2016 POE-etry Show 1st Place, 2017 Oconomowoc Show 3rd place
3rd Place “Under the El” 2017 LMA Winter Show #2
Art Exhibition Awards;
Honorable Mention – 2008 Waukesha Art Fair
Best of Show – 2010 Plymouth Art Fair
First Place – 2011 Plymouth Art Fair
First Place – WIPAPA Annual Show 2010
Third Place – WIPAPA Annual Show 2012
Certificate of Excellence – 2013 Stevens Point Art Festival
Best of Show – 2013 Kenosha Art Fair
8 Time – Favorite 15% BoldBrush online Competition
First Place -“Point of Color: The Wisconsin Plein Air Painters Association Juried Show,” at the Monroe Arts Center
2nd Place- 2015 “En Plein Air” Exhibit, The Lighthouse Art Center, Tequesta, FL
One of 3 Judges for the 2016 Wisconsin State Fair Plein Air Event
One of 3 Judges for the 2017 Wisconsin State Fair Childrens Art Event
One of 2 Judges for the 2017 Oconomowoc Art Fair
Best of Show-Bauhaus Prairie Art Gallery January 2017 Online Show
Best of Show “Under the El” 2018 Bauhaus Prairie Art Gallery October Online Show