Tim Thrasher

 painting, Photography, Found objects

I grew up in an artistic family surrounded by art and music. My great uncle was Harry Thrasher, a sculptor under Augustus St Gaudens, and my father, Alden, worked as a photo retoucher, illustrator, and also taught watercolor painting. (He also founded a 100 voice choir and was very supportive of my other career as a bass player.) I apprenticed with my father, eventually bought Thrasher Graphics, and expanded the company to include full graphic design services.

For many years, as a creative outlet, I designed “found object” art combining rusty metal, patinated wood and photography. I recently found a box of interesting old family photos in my attic. Surprisingly, my dairy-farmer grandmother, was an avid photographer from roughly 1925-1965, and left behind a volume of naive, occupational images depicting life on her dairy farm in Keene, NH. I scanned, enlarged, mounted, and combined the photos with found rusty metal or recycled wood to reflect the period when the photos were taken and to help tell the story of life on a small dairy farm in NH.

In addition to the family photo images, I also use rusty old metal signs as a background for collage and painted pieces. Most of the materials I use are recycled. I also create up-cycled lamps and props for decorative purposes.

It keeps me busy in a very creative way and I enjoy every minute of experimenting in my basement shop. I’m always working on new material, so keep an eye out for current incoming art pieces.