“As a guitarist— texture, atmosphere, landscape, harmonic color, and line all come together to form the whole. Sonic texture and layering are major components in my music. I am exploring this approach within my paintings, as one medium reflects the other.”
Tim Motzer, This City Never Sleeps, 40in x 40in, acrylic on canvas
Tim Motzer, aka, 40in x 40in, acrylic on canvas
“My goal is to express visually what I hear in my music. As I improvise with guitar—sonic texture, atmosphere, landscape, motion, harmonic color, and line all come together to form the whole. I recognize a similar direction in my painting—collisions, accidents, and densities of color, motion, decay, dream-like states, mystery, and space. I am exploring this approach within my paintings, as one medium reflects the other. Within both, I am searching the unknown for beauty, magic, and a sense of wonder.”
“I think my paintings have been influenced a great deal by traveling the world; these works somehow take on a sense of place to me. Each piece, while connected to one another, contains a distinct cultural memory. My music has this quality as well. It is inspired by where I am, the constant movement, the sights and sounds, and the presence of the people that i am near. With my painting, I work in solitude, and the work is improvised over a short time, sometimes a long time. I am sure sub-conscious memory, intuition, and emotion play a role in the immediateness of the process. I think through the blur of my life, all of these experiences bubble to the surface as a burst of expression.” - Tim Motzer
Motzer is currently painting large scale abstract works 40in x 40in, 48in x 48in, and 60in x 48in with acrylic and graphite on canvas; in a variety of sizes on paper; and hand-painted CD covers.
Commissions are welcome.
For more information about commissions, exhibitions, art sales, please contact:
TIM MOTZER with two of his large works
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
TIM MOTZER
Improvisations in Color, Large and Small Works
The Foundry, 95 West Court St. Doylestown PA
Runs through March 14, 2026
By Appointment (info@1krecordings.com)
ARTS NEWS NOW article about Tim Motzer’s Improvisations in Color show and Ashley Muir’s The Foundry up through March 14, 2026
excerpt:
I must say, the work looks like it was made for the space. Tim calls it transformational—totally about the vibe. “The paintings vibrate,” he says. “It’s perfect in a space, making it feel more welcoming.” The installation was set in place in time for the Doylestown Arts Festival. In addition to his nine large works, he’s got small paintings, framed to 11 x 14. And much like Ashley, creativity ran in the family. “My mom was a big band singer in 30s/40s., so I grew up in musical household,” Tim says. As for his music, he plays jazz and rock, composes folk and pop. In fact, Ashley Muir says of one of Tim’s favorite paintings, “I see layers of paint interpreting human lives—lives touched by the talents and interests of past and present family members who touch our lives. This touch creates decisions which get carried forward through future family members who carry certain talents and decisions forward again.” - Chrysa Smith, Arts News Now
READ MORE: https://artsnewsnow.com/arts_news/blurring-office-and-gallery-inside-the-foundrys-creative-hub-in-doylestown/
S M A L L W O R K S
10 x 7.5, acrylic on artboard
framed to 11in x 14in
paintings currently available
contact: info@1krecordings.com
PAINTINGS FOR ALBUM COVERS
TIM MOTZER is widely known as an innovative and visionary guitarist, composer, improviser, and producer from Philadelphia. Over the last 30+ years of recording and world touring, Motzer has carved out a distinctive sonic niche with his guitar artistry collaborating with musical luminaries David Sylvian, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ursula Rucker, Burnt Friedman, Kenny Lattimore, Les Nubians, Can’s Jaki Liebezeit, Markus Reuter, Pat Mastelotto, Percy Jones, and King Britt among others. His solo and collaborative projects are documented on his own label, 1k Recordings, across 70+ recordings. In addition, in the world of contemporary dance, he creates and plays musical scores for international performance, workshops, universities, and colleges.