THE SOCIETY OF ARTS ACADEMY

 U.S.A. & EUROPE.

               
                              
THE 'IMPRESSIONIST' PAINTER

 THEODORE ZIMMERMAN., M.A.
 (Impressionism & Modern Art )
President of the S.I.E.A.A. (Society of Arts Academy)

Pastel drawings by Theodore Zimmerman.

       " Le Touquet."                                           "View of Sark, C.I."

      "Jerusalem."

Theo. said, quote: " I want to create a painting or drawing, that, when anyone views one of my  paintings from across a room, that person will  immediately know that the artist Theodore Zimmerman painted it." unquote.  

Only one thing mattered in Theo's life apart from his family was his need to paint. He said,  "Our life on earth is limited to a very short space of time and no one knows how long it will be, so within this unknown and limited time I must paint at every possible moment. To be able to see, smell and touch the beauty of nature and explore the subtle variations of sunlight, tone and colour painting in the open air, en plein air."

It was at an early age when he started to paint regularly, making drawings of his family and the local views surrounding where he lived. Painting trips to Scotland, Wales and Jersey were enjoyed during the early years. During the trips to Scotland, many lovely pastels were painted, including places in the North and Western Highlands which were ideal picturesque scenes for the young artist to practice his now improving painting technique.

Places like the Isle of Sky, Island of Arran, Oban, Edinburgh and surrounding areas, the highlands, mountains and lochs. His interest in painting expanded , even at school he would read everything and anything to do with art and the Impressionists. The artist,  J. M. W. Turner was an inspiration to him as was the French artist Claude Monet.

With this early passion for art, he studied at every possible moment, constantly travelling to art galleries, sales and exhibitions in London. He decided to broaden his knowledge and travelled to Paris to study art. During this period he painted views in Paris and on the river Seine, as well as studying the paintings and methods of the French Impressionists. Many of his beach scenes in pastels were painted on the beautiful beaches of Northern France, Brittany and Normandy.

Theo's first sale of a painting was to a lady from the Channel Island of Jersey. He had been busy painting a stormy beach scene one day and was being observed by an interested party. When he had completed the pastel sketch she asked Theo if she could buy it. He replied, " I would not accept a penny less than five pounds for it as I do not really want to sell. " The lady then asked him why he charged so much for just a small sketch, to this comment he replied, "I know that the painting has quality and merit and I have travelled three hundred and fifty miles to paint it, also that one day I shall become a famous artist, then the five pounds I am asking for it seems a fair price."

The lady laughed and bought the drawing and within a few minutes returned with her husband and two friends and commissioned another painting of her cottage at the same price. Her friends also purchased two sketches selected from the artist's drawing book of views. The lady then asked him if he would sign the paintings, the artist signed Theodore Zimmerman. In the artists' own words, quote; "Any painting an artist paints is created from the very essence of the mind, body and immortal soul. My life and my whole existence becomes part of every painting.  An artist who paints with love, passion and feeling for his art as I do, must find that any sale of a painting is a great loss, and for an artist who paints without these three things is not to paint at all. " unquote.

When asked by a friend many years later, if he'd always signed his works, he replied, " I sign all my paintings the same to satisfy the buyer or collectors whim that a signed painting is deemed to be more valuable than an unsigned one. An artist work should be sufficient as every mark and every line becomes a signature in itself."

Albert Giacometti  Theo. Zimmerman visited Alberto Giacometti's studio on a number of occasions in 1953/54 when painting in Montparnasse, and made drawings of Alberto and Annette his wife during his time in Paris. Alberto made a drawing of Theo. sitting on a chair during one of his late 50's visits when Theo. also completed other drawings of Giacometti.  In the 1960s Giacometti's health began to fail and in 1963 he underwent an operation for cancer of the stomach which was a success as the cancer did not return. In 1965 he became wery ill with heart disease and chronic bronchitis. Giacometti sadly died in June 1966 in Switzerland. Theo. said, quote: "Alberto Giacometti was truly one of the greatest artists of the 20th century." unquote.

American, Canadian, European and the Middle East paintings.
Theo's. very important American works include summer and winter scenes in Central Park and the busy Street scenes of New York. Beach paintings at Coney Island, street scenes of San Francisco, Los Angeles, any other places in the U.S.A. and Canada.
The artists quest to capture nature, from the Pyramids of Egypt and the sublime beauty of the Nile, the temples and buildings of Jerusalem, the morning mists on the river Seine, or that fleeting and illusive atmospheric moment of nature only seen through the artist's eyes in the colours of a Venice sunrise or sunset. Pastel drawings of lovely Provence, with it's hot summers, the orchards of Spain where the orange and lemon trees are a wonderful experience at blossom time, and the excitement of the bullfights and interesting local life. The beaches of beautiful Mallorca with the friendly people, and the lovely countryside of Italy and it's many vineyards. Greece with the magnificent monuments and temples offered many a good subject to sketch.

Paintings from France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Scandanavia and Europe.
Paintings of scenes in London and Paris where he studied 'Impressionism', also in the Montmartre, Montparnasse and along the river Seine. The important beach drawings at Le Touquet, Trouville & Pourville The beaches of Brittany and Normandy where he would sketch the children playing on the sands, include, drawings in pastels of Boulogne, Berck, Dieppe, Fecamp, Yport, Etretat, Sainte - Adresse, Le Havre, Honfleur, Deauville, Cherbourg, and other places along the lovely coast of Brittany, Normandy and the northern coast of France.
Beautiful drawings of views from Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Scandanavian countries of Sweden, Norway and Finland gave Theo. many wonderful memories of the places he painted.  

'People of the night' drawings, Montparnasse, Paris.   
The artists works, have a stylized and spiritual feeling about them, as Theo. captures the aura and ambiance of the eternal spirit of people in a portrait or figure drawing.
Theo. said, "The normal visual representation of a person in a photograph or portrait is obsolete, because the body changes every day as we journey through the aging process. I try to create in my paintings the aura and ambiance of the eternal spirit, which is with you throughout your lifetime." The artist's answer to an American onlooker who was watching him work and had remarked that his painting was missing many details, was, " If you want an accurate account of what you are looking at, go and find a photographer. However, I'm sure that you have the intelligence to appreciate an original work of art, then you will need an artist to paint it for you. "

The Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are special places for any artist to visit and marvel at the many lovely beaches and the countryside, with fields and woods full of flowers at springtime. A specialty of the artist was to set out early in the morning to experience and record in pastels the splendid sunrises and in the evenings the colourful sunsets.  Also, the works he painted at night, include, poetical views of the sea and sky and the now lonely and deserted beaches. These rare  works, painted in low tones of blues and greys, are closely held  by his family and friends. Ever since his first visit to the Islands as a schoolboy, and over a lifetime as an artist, he  has returned many times and created memorable drawings of the picturesque scenery and the beautiful sandy beaches  of Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Alderney. 

St. Ives, Cornwall. U.K.
At the artists colony in St. Ives, Theo. was aquainted with other well known painters, and his works on the beaches and all along the coastal villages of  Cornwall were special places for Theo. to create his many beautiful drawings of lovely St. Ives, Newlyn, Mousehole and Polperro. 

L. S. Lowry, R.A.   
Theo. became associated with Mr. Lowry and continued his friendship with the artist during the late 50's and 60's. Days out sketching together in Manchester, Salford, Stockport and surrounding areas, and occasionally at Lytham St. Annes and Blackpool. Using Theo's car, they would enjoy days out together, with Theo. always taking a good quantity of sandwiches, biscuits and a large flask of tea for both of them.

Theodore Zimmerman.  (A life of artistic study and painting.)
During a lifetime of study and painting, he would start early in the morning and continue until quite late in the evening, remaining oblivious to anything or anyone who wished to distract him from his work. Over the years, he was generous in giving paintings to close family and friends, and always passionately refusing to sell his works, saying to the public and art collectors, quote: "My paintings are a record of the places I have visited and of the cherished memories and experiences of my life as an artist. My paintings and family are the important parts of my life and time as an artist on this wonderful and beautiful planet." unquote.  

The late 'Old & New Testament' Bible paintings
Theo's. late atmospheric and colourful scenes of stories from the Bible, full of colour, poetry and mysticism, include 'The 'exodus' from Egypt'. 'The journeys of 'Moses' and the 'Israelites', including 'Moses and the 'Ten Commandments,' ' Mount Sinai,' 'The Israelites and the parting of the Red Sea,' The destruction of Herods army,' 'Moses and the Israelites at the promised land'. Other paintings are from the 'New Testament', include, 'The Crucifixion of Christ', 'The sermon on the mount', 'The raising of Lazarus', 'The feeding of the five thousand,' etc. The style and colour of these large beautiful works are some of Theo's finest creations.

Due to his very poor health following three heart attacks and a worsening heart condition in his later retirement years, Theo. ceased painting for quite a long period of time before starting to paint again  on a very much reduced scale with his Bible Story series. Retired from painting for many years, he would only paint an occasional picture or drawing for a friend or family member who requested a special work. With Theo's reluctance and even refusal to sell his paintings, his works are relatively scarce. All his paintings are signed, inscribed, and bear the important provenance 'Atelier' stamp of the artist.

Public and private collections.
Fine examples of the artists works are in American and European public and private collections.

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