Exploring Nature's Colors: The Art of Jose F Jimenez

The texture and colours of Jose F Jimenez’s tree works are endlessly absorbing.

A vibrant green tree set against a multicolored checkered background of red, blue, purple, and yellow squares.

The Toronto-based artist was born in Venezuela and grew up surrounded by the sea and mountains, triggering a profound appreciation for nature. This enduring connection to the natural world has become a central theme in his work.

A vibrant forest scene featuring trees in various shades of green, red, purple, and blue. The ground is covered with grass and small bushes, creating a colorful and lively atmosphere. — In the Mountain We Found a Playground, 2023. Oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm.

His work seeks to reflect and interpret his encounters with nature and childhood experiences, creating a unique blend of personal history and natural beauty.

A vibrant landscape painting featuring a large, colorful tree with autumn leaves beside a tranquil body of water, surrounded by lush, brightly colored foliage and a rocky shoreline.

A vibrant landscape depicting a river bordered by bright green grass and colorful trees with red and orange foliage against a turquoise sky.

Above (L to R) Autumn in Marmora 3, Autumn in Marmora 1 and Autumn in Marmora 2 each, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36″

Jimenez explains in this interview how he came to paint the Marmora works (above) and a bit about his process. The actual plein air painting session is captured on this 5 minute video (here and below)

This series of works started with a video I did with musician Andres Puche. I created a painting en plein air while Andres Puche produced the music. The video goes from morning to night. For the night scenes, we used a lot of colourful lights. I wanted to introduce all of those artificial colours to the painting, so I did them in acrylic. With acrylic paint, I can attain less organic colours but more plastic and artificial. An example of this is Autumn in Marmora, Ontario (Number 3) where the saturation and unnatural colours of the trees are visible – from an interview in Art Office

Jimenez began his artistic journey in jewelry making in Venezuela, but sought formal jewelry education and relocated to Toronto. While volunteering at an art studio, he discovered a love of painting, leading to a degree in Drawing and Painting at OCAD University. He also spent three years in Florence working on his art.

A vibrant landscape featuring lush green trees with red trunks in a grassy field, set against a backdrop of rocky mountains under a clear blue sky. — The Wise Past and the Young Future, 2023. Oil on canvas, 70 x 60 cm

Jimenez’s travels also significantly influenced his work, enabling him to incorporate elements from different cultures and environments into his work.