Thomas Steyer is a contemporary German painter whose artistic journey has been marked by a unique blend of innovation, creativity, and versatility. His fascination with objects boasting reflective surfaces emerged during his art studies in London, where he began to explore household and office items, kitchen utensils, and bicycle parts as subjects for his oil paintings.
Facing financial constraints post-graduation, Steyer took the initiative to seek out potential customers himself, producing paintings of objects such as ball bearings, hood ornaments, and microphones, which he then sold directly to manufacturers. His ingenuity extended to contacting musicians he admired, borrowing their guitars to create large canvases adorned with his distinctive paintings. Some of these iconic guitar images even found their way onto album covers of legendary bands, such as Mark Knopfler's steel guitar featured on Dire Straits' 'Brothers in Arms'.
In 1984, a fortuitous encounter with the renowned English illustrator Tom Stimpson introduced Steyer to the spray technique and provided him with an airbrush set, propelling his artistic career forward. Subsequently, he found success predominantly in the realm of advertising, showcasing his talent for rendering photorealistic images.
In 1989, after thirteen years in London, Steyer relocated to Australia, where he settled in Sydney and continued to ply his trade as both an illustrator and a freelance painter. However, the divergent trajectories of his two professions prompted a shift in focus. While his illustrations veered towards increasing realism, his painting style evolved towards pure abstraction, with Steyer producing large, brightly colored abstract works as a counterbalance to his precise, lifelike renderings.
Embracing technological advancements, Steyer was quick to adopt digital image design in 1995, becoming one of the pioneering illustrators in Australia to transition his entire workflow to computers. This move expanded his clientele globally, freeing him from the constraints of geographical limitations.
After twenty-seven years abroad, Steyer returned to Germany in 2003, settling in the Markgräflerland region, nestled between Freiburg and Basel. Here, amidst the picturesque surroundings of a wine-growing village, he continues to channel his artistic vision, drawing inspiration from his rich and varied experiences to create captivating works of art.
Speed Painting
