"I recently had a fellow artist tell me that my work would not look out of place in our local museum's permanent collection."

Artist David Thelen captures the daily life and landscapes of New York in his oil paintings. His works reflect his strong family ties to the Catskills area and his attention to familiar subjects that people often overlook. David tried his hand at illustration, woodcarving, and stained glass making, but painting has always been his constant passion.

In this interview, David shares stories on his life as a family man and an artist.

What’s your home life like?

I live in the western New York Finger Lakes region, in a turn-of-the-century farmhouse on a twenty-four acre old farm. My wife and I have both retired early and are pursuing our artistic endeavors.

What are you most proud of—whether in art or another part of your life?

My family. I have two daughters, both grown and out of the house. They are both very artistic and forging their own art careers. A very difficult thing to do, but they are succeeding.

Do you have any studio rituals that help you get into a creative flow?

Music is an important part of my creative flow. The type of music I listen to ranges from classical to new age to old rock and roll, with a heavy focus on Peter Gabriel.

How do you structure your day?

I'm generally up very early in the morning. I sit, relax, and have coffee with my wife. After that, housework fills the rest of the morning, and my art fills the rest of the day. I like to have a steady routine as it keeps me focused.

Where do you find inspiration for your art?

I find inspiration all around me. What I like to do is take bits and pieces from pictures I've taken or images I found, then build a collage of something that reminds me of places I've been or childhood memories of special events.

Tell us about your evolution as an artist.

I have loved art my entire life. Since I was a child, I've always wanted to be an artist. I was always drawing and loved comic books. I would copy what I considered to be the masters, like Frank Frazetta and Bernie Wrightson. Looking at classical works of art didn't come to me until high school, and then it was Michelangelo and Rembrandt that captivated me. After that, life happened and delayed my artistic endeavors, but I never stopped painting and drawing. I've also explored sculpture (which I love), stained glass work, ceramics, wood carving, and woodworking. All of these experiences have played a part in shaping the artist I am today.

How do you decide when an artwork is finished?

I have to stop myself when I feel that adding more paint would lessen the feel of the work. That is also not to say I won't revisit a piece that has been sitting around for a while and make some tweaks to it.

What is the most interesting observation someone has made about your work?

I recently had a fellow artist tell me that my work would not look out of place in our local museum's permanent collection.

Is there an artwork from another artist that has had a significant impact on you?

Tibor Nagy, an artist I came across a few years ago, really impacted the way I look at things and represent them on my canvas.

What’s your favorite museum?

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is my favorite. The sheer size of the museum and the breadth of its collection I find amazing. There is an entire Japanese tea house rebuilt inside the museum, which I find inspirational.

Is there anything else you’d like to share to help viewers better understand your work?

I'm always trying to piece together what makes a good scene, what should be detailed, and what should be left to color and feeling. I like to leave room for the viewer to bring something to the painting themselves.

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If you enjoyed this article about David Thelen's life and artwork, we recommend reading our interviews with other New York artists, Onelio Marrero and Nick Savides.