Bio

"Maine's location offers more than coastal splendor. It is traversed by weather systems that originate in both the arctic and the southwest. Such extremes foster a hardy breed of people - simple in their ways and appreciative of their heritage. This regional wealth is that which I honor in my work."

A native of Old Town, Maine, Tim Flanagan received his BA degree from the University of Maine at Orono in 1971. Following a two year period in commercial art, Tim taught art in the Bangor, Maine Public School System until 1986. At that time both he and his wife Thea - also an art teacher in the Bangor School System - abandoned their positions in order to devote themselves to painting full-time. 

In more recent years, Tim exclusively used oil. Tim created intense imagery by layering color, producing extreme depths in his paintings. He often worked for weeks on a painting to achieve the quality and detail which have become hallmarks of his work. Tim would strive to capture a moment in time, whether it a special time between friends or clouds suspended above a lake. The artist's originals are collected by individuals and businesses within an ever-growing sphere.

Tim's paintings "go beyond the realism of Edward Hopper. Unlike the existentialist tone of Hopper, in Flanagan you can see the positive celebration of human and natural intimacy. They have that subtle but unmistakable sign of affirmation, the scent of eternal hope that is acutely missing in Hopper. All this reaches beyond a level of craftsmanship that is distinctly world class.

"There is also a wonderful combination of innocence and boldness in [his] landscapes....But for [some admirers, his people on a bench scenes] are the most magnificent examples of the range of Flanagan's talent. [One] bench scene, entitled 'Between Headlines', is a frontal view of two people reading the newspaper, each in their own space and possibly their own worlds. Their proximity and their separateness accentuates this sense of private space, the yin and the yang of intimacy and aloneness, and the special tranquility found in the respectful observation of this balance. Whether the man and the woman are friends or strangers is unclear - what is clear is the serenity of the moment. In [his] bench scenes, Flanagan has conveyed a sense of the oasis, a place of safety and peace, which can be found and cherished in everyday, simple activities"

Quoted parts are from Bill Patten's ART REVIEW in the Camden (Maine) Herald

Tim was a signature member of the Artists for Conservation Foundation (www.natureartists.com) and co-director of the Coastal Fine Arts Alliance of Maine - an association of Maine artists presenting their works in coastal outdoors gallery settings. This non-profit organization donates a portion of show proceeds to the host community.

Tim's works have been juried into numerous national and international exhibitions. Among them are:

"Realism ‘99, ‘98, ‘95, ‘93, ‘91" American Realism National Exhibition, Parkersburg Art Center, Parkersburg, WV. "Culture and Agriculture" National Juried Exhibition, New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, WI, Spring 1998 National Society of Painters in Casin/Acrylic" Annual Exhibition, National Arts Club, NYC, Spring 1995 & 1993 "Academic Artists Association" 44th National Exhibition, Springfield, Mass., Spring 1994 "Immaculata College Juried Invitational" at Immaculata, PA, 1991 - 2001 "Hole in the Wall" Gallery, University of Maine at Orono, February 1987

In 1996 Tim's work received national recognition with three of his pieces having been included in "The Best of Acrylic Painting" by Rockport Publishers, Distributed by North Light Books.

Awards include:

"Best in Show", Arts in the Park, South Portland, Maine, 1998 "People's Choice Award", Maine Artists Gallery Spring Invitational, 1992 "First Place, Watercolor", Maine Open Invitational at No Tomatoes Restaurant, Auburn, Maine, December 1991 "First Place, Painting", Waterville, Maine Arts Festival 1988

Tim's work has been included into an ever-growing sphere of both private and corporate collections. Among them are:

MBNA America
Merrill Lynch
Harbor Consultants International, Inc., Washington, D.C.
Whitefield Russell Associates, Washington, D.C.
USI New England, Manchester, NH
Granite State Telephone, Manchester, NH
Commercial Properties Inc., Portland, ME