Jon’s realistic approach to painting is based on a love of nature, specifically the ocean.
His compositions focus on the light at particular times of the day and how our emotions are affected by the feel of the moment. His pure seascapes represent the mesmeric visual phenomenon of light on moving water and reflect a meditative observational process. His meticulously detailed compositions are carried out using glazing techniques, reminiscent of old master approaches. His intention is to lead the viewer to reflect on the impact Nature has had on lives; our memories and our emotions.
Jon Bandish (b. 1982, Philadelphia PA) is a full time oil painter who lives and works in Dagsboro, Delaware, USA. He graduated with a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in 2006. His work is held within private collections in the USA and in the UK, as well as the Einstein Hospital Collection in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a member of The National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society (NOAPS), The American Society of Marine Artists, and The American Artists Professional League. He is Co-President of The Greater Millsboro Art League and is an accomplished musician.
A note from the artist:
“I thrive being around water; it has always had a grounding effect on me. In some ways, I am painting scenes inspired by memories. Growing up, summer was the best part of the year, and I have always desired to live by the ocean.”
Important Influences
Jon is influenced by the subject matter and approach of 19th-century landscape painters Thomas Cole and Frederic Edwin Church, William Trost Richards, John Frederick Kensett, and Alfred Thompson Briche of the Hudson River School.
His way of working is also informed by European Romanticism and the Barbizon School that were influential to subsequent movements like Impressionism and, in the USA, The Pennsylvania Impressionists. The poetic and transcendental writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, are also influential to Bandish, in regard to how we can understand ourselves within the beauty of the natural world, embracing solitude and taking time to observe our surroundings.
Jon’s undergraduate studies were drawing and painting at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art.
“My sea-themed paintings can be quite subdued, such as a sunrise over a marsh, or a more vibrant figural piece, such as a lively Jersey Shore pizza shop. I don’t limit myself with color and enjoy using hues ranging from soft blues to vibrant oranges to capture whatever scene I am painting. In a way, each painting is like a song in a collection or album.”
Nature and most predominantly the ocean, have always been something important to him.
In his youth, he participated in many swim teams, and he was a lifeguard for many years. He counts his time in the water as being paramount to his character.
Jon currently lives and works near Bethany Beach, Delaware, U.S.A.