Tim Nerheim-Chereck is an American self-taught artist and composer, born in 1970 in Portland, Oregon where he currently works in his studio. Tim’s fully intuitive works consider an attempt at capturing moments during the quest for emotional perfection viewed through the lens of memory and the concurrent birth, loss and grief of the self. Tim’s original works are included in private collections worldwide.
How did you get into art?
I’ve been a musician and composer since I was young but only recently began painting as a hobby in January of 2020. Painting became a bit of an obsession and a welcome distraction to the pandemic where I completed over 500 pieces in the first two years.
How would you describe your style? What makes your work special?
I’ve been told my work seems to lay somewhere between expressionism and neo-expressionism. In simple terms, my work is abstract, intuitive and painterly. I don’t attempt to paint things or abstractions of things but I do allow things to appear and I tend not to destroy them when they do. I don’t really have any rules, labels or expectations to live up to.
How do you go about developing your work?
The only conscious decision I make before painting is deciding what material I’m going to paint on. I don’t choose a palette or medium to paint or draw with. I will lay a canvas or large piece of paper on the floor, climb on top of it, randomly grab something to make marks with and just try to allow the moment to present itself. Each painting usually happens rather quickly and is finished in one sitting. Once complete I’ll typically sit with the work for a while and try to decipher what the hell just happened. Each painting is just a visual journey through the moment that it took to finish it.
Who or what influences you?
Our insane world and humanity influences me greatly and I like to believe that on some level my paintings are reflections of both. I’m also greatly influenced by my fellow living artists. We are in a unique time in history where most of the art being created can be experienced by everyone in real time and have an immediate influence on the trajectory of art. I’m hopeful that collectively we can realize this and leverage the profoundly creative time that we are living in.
Make us curious. What are you planning to do next?
2023 was a very busy year outside the studio with a residency in Barcelona and Paris last summer so I am planning on being in the studio much more in 2024. I have a show in Rome at Contemporary Cluster in May of next year and will be working with several new galleries in the new year as well. I also have several large projects that I’m starting work on in the new year including my first very large remote installation which will likely take several years to complete. 
Learn more about the artist:
