Jon Bandish

My work centers on appreciation of nature, showing coastal landscapes and sea views. Interaction is also evident within my work whether that be dedication to viewing the setting sun or to catching a wave; basking on the rocks or choosing an ice cream cone, in this way my work also reveals a social history of coastal life. I am influenced be the subject matter and approach of 19th century landscape painters Thomas Cole and Frederic Edwin Church, William Trost Richards, John Frederick Kensett and Alfred Thompson Briche of the Hudson River School. My way of working is also informed by European Romanticism and the Barbizon School that were influential to subsequent movements like Impressionism and, in the USA, The Pennsylvania Impressionists. The poetic and transcendental writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, are also influential, showing how we can understand ourselves within the beauty of the natural world, embracing solitude and taking time to observe our surroundings. I am motivated to capture the uplifting essence of the ocean, the joy of experiencing warmth and seeing bright colors. My compositions focus on the light at particular times of a day and how our emotions are effected by the feel of the moment, drawing on how this connects to reminiscence and to music. My seascapes represent the mesmeric visual phenomenon of light on moving water and reflect a meditative observational process. My dedication to nature is joined by an interest in fellow humans, our passions, hopes and pastimes, especially those played out at the coast.

Artist Biography