About Tim Church
Tim Church’s combined competencies – machinist, chemist, researcher, scientist, medical doctor – coupled with his artistic eye, bring us a lively new genre of artwork. Vibrant Toning.
Church built on his knack for chemistry and his proven abilities in medical research to explore new artistic processes that he developed, eventually leading to the discovery of his own aesthetic. The extraordinary range of organic forms, colors, shapes, and contours testifies to his instincts and ability as the founder of a genre in its infancy.
“I’ve tried everything I can conceive of—every chemical process, every environment, every approach to working with copper. I continue to push the materials to their limits. If someone wants to try to replicate my work—good freakin’ luck. I’m a scientist who has put an enormous amount of effort, chemistry, and research into this artistic process.”
Born in Salinas, California, Tim first gained experience working with metal as a teenager in produce packing houses. During his college years, he expanded his skills in metal work as a part-time machinist for a biomechanical research laboratory. While pursuing a medical degree at Tulane, Tim discovered the New Orleans art scene. Living in the French Quarter, he saw various copper sculptures and fountains, and began to develop a love for the different colorations and dimensionality of copper. Thus he began his appreciation for turning copper into works of art, beginning with his own fountains and sculptures.
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In 2012, Church started to shift away from sculpture to wall art. It was then that he dedicated himself to what he calls “extreme copper experimentation,” a decision that ultimately led to the work you see today.
His work ethic and materials-mastery mean that his aesthetic sensibilities continue to evolve as he incorporates ongoing research with breakthroughs in the sciences. The results tell the story of his success — the richest textures, colors, and effects in copper found in the art world today, and a level of work unachieved by any others. The art world is taking notice that his creative process is hard to emulate, his artwork rare and unique, and for most collectors, something they have never seen before.
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The Process
“The pieces I create begin with acids and bases fighting for dominance on the copper canvas, creating something primitive and organic.”
Where other copper artists take advantage of only 3% of available copper coloration techniques, Tim fearlessly makes use of acids, bases, temperature, humidity and oxygen to achieve a wide range of colors and surface effects in copper.
In his indoor/outdoor studio, he incorporates the additional elements of weather and time. In doing so, he has discovered summer’s oranges, reds, browns and blacks and winter’s piercing blues. After placing pieces in the elements, the colors blend and reach peak intensity. Church then coats each piece with multiple epoxy layers to seal the artwork. “Never are paints or metal stains used,” Church says, “It’s just nature and chemistry taking its course.”
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The Team
Andrea Gonzales
Andrea Gonzales, Tim's wife, earned a degree in Chemistry from New Mexico State University and is a practicing pediatric dentist. During the quarantine, as the couple was homebound, Andrea became a significant contributor to Tim's work. Drawing upon her chemistry background, she began working closely with him to expand his color palette and techniques. This fruitful partnership continues to thrive today as they collaborate on pieces. Her contributions are recognized through her "Alchemy by APG" emblem, embossed on the signature box at the back of Tim's work.
Alchemy by APG
Artwork with Alchemy by APG embossed in the
signature box are collaborative pieces.
Monard D. Nichols
Monard D. Nichols began collaborating with Tim Church Art in the fall of 2019. Initially as a photographer of the pieces, Monard quickly proved invaluable, serving as a sounding board for new techniques and offering creative directions previously unexplored. Monard plays an important role in each step of the process from forming the raw canvases to the final photography and packing. His prior machining and studio history uniquely positions him as a perfect match for the team.
