Look at these gorgeous colors! I am excited to share this interview with San Diego based artist Tim Novara. He offers a lot of great insight below.
Tim’s work is inspired by architecture, urban planning, and the built environment. Tim wants his art to “have a positive impact on the world in some small way and not just be a picture on the wall.” For every piece sold, he donates a portion of the proceeds to a local non-profit organization. Currently, donations are going to the San Diego LGBT Community Center. Please read on below to learn more about him!
“Be fully authentic and create whatever it is that really excites you without worrying about what others might think.”
tim novora
Uncommon Canvas: When did you begin making art and what was the driving force behind it?
Tim: I first started making art ten years ago, because at the time I was working a demanding full-time job that didn’t allow me to express my creative side and I needed to do something about that. I had no idea what I was doing, but it felt freeing to just experiment, learn through trial and error, and start to uncover my artistic identity. Art was an on-again, off-again affair over the years for me, but in early 2019 I decided to really commit myself to it and get serious.
Uncommon Canvas: Can you tell us more about your background in architecture and how that influences your art?
Tim: My favorite toys as a kid were Lego sets, so I think my story really starts there. I loved building everything from castles to pirate ships and eventually discovered that I could have a career making buildings in real life. I studied architecture in college and absolutely loved it. I went to a school that let you represent your designs in any medium you wanted. I should have seen the writing on the wall, but I was the student that hated using the computer and preferred making drawings by hand in pencil or with ink on mylar.
My art is grounded in this architecture background and mimics the process of trying to understand specific places or buildings and their connection to the individual through the act of diagramming. Each painting evolves as part of this iterative process. I start with personal photographs that are edited to reveal the significant features of a building. I then incorporate fragments of historical maps, books, or travel guides. From there I begin to draw lines in pencil that become the underpinning for the rest of the painting. The overall impression of the work is flat and two dimensional like that of a traditional architectural drawing.
Uncommon Canvas: What advice do you have for other artists, especially the ones who are just starting out?
Tim: My advice would be to simply stay true to who you are. Be fully authentic and create whatever it is that really excites you without worrying about what others might think. Not everyone will like, understand, or value what you make, but that’s okay, because I guarantee that there are people out there who will!
I’d also recommend using Instagram as an actual social networking platform, not just as a place to promote your work or hit the “like” button. Don’t be shy! Reach out to other artists and ask them questions or let them know what it is that you appreciate about their work. I’ve reached out to artists who didn’t know me with all sorts of questions, because of something I saw that they had posted. In each instance they responded, and we’ve ended up staying in touch, following each other’s work, and forming a real connection. There is a real person behind every profile, and I believe that most of them would love to talk with someone about what they are doing.
Uncommon Canvas: What music inspires you while making art? Tell us your top three songs.
Tim: Great question! I’m someone that always has to have music on no matter what I’m doing. I’m an introvert at heart and I think that listening to music has always allowed me to disappear into the word inside my head. When it comes to making art I typically turn up the volume and go with an upbeat playlist. For my top three songs I’ll say Musique by Daft Punk, Little L by Jamiroquai, and No One Gets the Prize by Diana Ross.
Thanks for sharing your process and insight, Tim! You can connect with Tim on Instagram: @timnovara or visit his website: www.timnovara.com.
Image credits (top to bottom): © Tim Novara
Keep Moving, Berlin – 24″ x 18″ acrylic on wood
Among the Crowd, Berlin – 24″ x 18″ acrylic on wood
Across the River, Berlin – 12″x12″ acrylic on wood
Please note that all images are copyright © of the individual artists and used on this blog for educational purposes. Selling, printing, or repurposing artwork without an artist’s permission is not nice or permitted.