The Art of Chess and
Other Things
“My father taught me both how to play
chess and how to paint. At the time I didn’t know that these two activities
would combine to make up a significant part of my life as an artist.”
Jim Todd began oil
painting at the age of 10, under the tutelage of his father. He would often
compose still lives using toys and household objects discovered in his family’s
home. In 1989, while sorting through a box of childhood memorabilia, he
uncovered an old plastic Renaissance-style chess set: One that he and his father
used to play chess on! This enlivened Todd’s imagination as he envisioned a
series of surrealistic paintings using the game of chess as a way of expressing
his unique vision of the world.
Trompe l’oeil is a
type of painting that creates realistic illusions of three-dimensional objects
and space on flat surfaces, such as walls, ceilings, or on an artist’s canvas.
The French term literally translates as “fool the eye.” Todd’s paintings are
characterized by visual jokes that create tensions in the viewer’s mind between
what is real and what is illusory. The Trompe l’oeil tradition became highly
refined during the Renaissance period. Ironically, it was the Renaissance-style
chess set from Todd’s childhood which prompted his very successful series of
chess paintings. His chess series comprises some of his most successful and
popular paintings, two of which were featured on the cover of “Chess Life” magazine
(May, 1996). Todd feels his customers are drawn to the imaginative elements in
his paintings. For example, a work may be intricately and
realistically rendered, yet the situation or setting of the piece comes as a
surprise to the viewer as the elements or settings seem incongruous to what the
logical mind might expect. This intrigues viewers and causes them to spend more
time examining the details of his work in order to resolve in their own minds
what the work represents. This ability of Todd’s to “fool the eye” firmly
establishes him in the Trompe l’oeil tradition.
Jim Todd’s original
oil paintings have been exhibited in dozens of shows throughout the United
States, and have received more than fifty awards. Todd was chosen as one of the
top 100 artists for Arts in the Park’s National Art Contest, and, in 1992, he received
the Artist of the Year Award bestowed by the greater St. Louis Art Association.
In addition to his popular
chess series, Todd’s still life paintings have also won several Best-of-Show
awards at regional art shows throughout the mid-west. Because of Todd’s skill
in rendering a variety of subjects using the Trompe l’oeil tradition, delighted
viewers always feel they can reach into his paintings and grasp the objects!
Todd believes that
his paintings have the ability to challenge the skills and imaginations of
children and adults alike. Todd reflects, “I hope that viewing my work will
encourage others to explore their own imaginations. Perhaps my work will help
them expand their abilities and perceptions while playing games such as chess or
other games of skills. Perhaps my work will expand their own artistic
endeavors, or perhaps it will simply expand how they view the world, perhaps
more playfully or more creatively.” Imaginations are sure to be stirred when
viewing the paintings of Jim Todd in his one-man show, “The Art of Chess and
Other Things.” Please join us!
Reception for the
artist: Jerome Art Walk, Sat. Oct.3, from 5-8 pm. Refreshments will be served.
“The Art of Chess and
Other Things” runs Oct.2- Dec.2.
