David B. Smith Gallery

Artist Statement:

Jason Thielke's art focuses on urban landscapes and their inhabitants. A strong emotional connection to the built environment and its inevitable rise and fall provide the foundation for his work. Thielke's aesthetic encompasses both contemporary and traditional techniques much like modern architecture; his process of drawing, composing, and transferring images mirrors the planning, deconstruction and reconstruction phases of urban gentrification. The architectural style in his work is applied to his interpretation of the human form, which comfortably contrasts hard lines with soft features and mixed emotions. Thielke often parallels this theme with the resurgence of American figurative painting. Thielke earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Northern Illinois University School of Art and has held solo exhibitions in Denver, Portland and Seattle.