A Copper Alliance Member
Copper in the Arts
Issue #37: May '10
High Art: Perspectives of a Roofer Turned Copper Artist
Timothy Spillane with a recent piece
Photograph by Paul David
Although he graduated with a degree in liberal arts from Colorado College, where he admits he had the opportunity to take one watercolor course, Spillane has always looked at life through an artist's lens. He began to experiment in oil paint, verdigris, ink and lacquers using extra scrap copper as his canvas, and was surprised and intrigued by the copper's glimmering effect. Depending on the angle of light and the viewer’s position, the copper would create the effect of the light of the sun—or moon—moving through the forest. It seemed to bring his scenes to life. “I loved what the copper did, says Spillane. “It’s so luminous and the way its affected by the natural elements really fascinated me.”
Spillane is especially fascinated by the work of Jackson Pollock. Famous for his splatter paintings before his tragic death in the 1950s, Pollock’s abstract expressionism challenged the conventional idea of what is considered to be “art.” Inspired by Pollock’s life, Spillane’s artistic streak renewed itself when he started to play with abstract work and splatter painting on copper scraps left behind from his roofing projects.
Birch trees on copper canvas
Photograph courtesy of Timothy Spillane
“If you have a blank piece of canvas in front of you it can be very overwhelming and intimidating—you are going to bring forth a vision from a blank thing,” he acknowledges of other mediums. “But copper has an ability to express itself.”
Elaborating on his process, he is often inspired by how the copper has changed according to the effect of the weather or natural oxidization. Large sheets of copper used for his business are sometimes kept outside and have developed a new color, or streaks of unique definition. “There is inspiration in that,” he says. “The sheets of copper have their own personality to begin with. Sometimes that sort of reminds you of a hillside, so I pick up on that and paint a tree and some grass coming down the side. Somehow you’re working with the piece of copper itself, and I love that.”
Since he his mostly inspired by the light changes in nature, and how they reflect upon the beautiful stark while trees, he often plays with a color palette of whites, darks and turquoise blues. The painting accentuates tall birch trees, which are usually depicted from the roots up to mid-level, truncated as though from the camera lens of a hiker. While some landscape painters prefer to focus on rolling hills and fluttering streams from a distance, abandoning very small detail to show the overall landscape they find beautiful. Spillane, however, prefers the intimacy of a single pair of eyes on a piece of a forest. This way he can share his personal experience of natural beauty.
Roofer and artist Timothy Spillane in his studio
Photograph courtesy of Timothy Spillane
From there his process continues to develop the composition with the use of patinas. Outdoors it may take up to 20 years for the copper to verdigris to blue-green, so Spillane prefers to use a chemical process to enhance his backgrounds. “The patinas have a spontaneous relationship with the copper,” he notes. “I can paint a birch tree a million times, but it’s the work with the patinas that is always exciting and different depending on how old the copper is and what weatherization it’s gotten.” After this he will layer the painted areas with additional coats of exterior paint that has a glossy finish. Spillane admits you might think the glossy addition would be gaudy, “but the flat paint looks kind of dead on the copper,” he says. Spillane then completes a piece with a lacquer finish which keeps the copper from continuing to age and allows him to exhibit them indoors or outdoors.
Birch trees on copper canvas
Photograph courtesy of Timothy Spillane
On a typical day, Spillane is devoted to his roofing contracting company, and tries to make time for his painting during the rare quiet moments he has to himself. He has even found inspiration while working, a credit to his artistic vision.
“Certain artistic people, perhaps, have a sort of innate quality,” he wonders aloud. “When I’m working on roofs I’ll spend some time looking, sitting on a high section, seeing and using my vision.” Although he says his co-workers couldn’t care less about the view, he has often marveled at the soft pinks, purples and blues he could find at dawn. “I spend time just enjoying that,” he says.
Resources:
Timothy Spillane, 372 Styer Rd, Glenmoore, PA, (610) 458-5906
A Video of Tim Spillane Demonstrating His Paintings On Copper
Also in this Issue:
- EVENTS:
A listing of upcoming events in the arts featuring copper and related materials, or highlighting artisans who work with the materials.
