TROY COLLINS
As a nationally renowned western landscape impressionist, Troy Collins creates paintings with brilliant color, texture and insight from his studio nestled in the middle of the Bitterroot Mountain Range. His paintings have graced the halls of the Montana and California State Capitols, the Pentagon, the U.S. Capital, U.S. Embassies and are included in many corporate and private collections throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Troy’s work has been featured in over 100 magazines and four books and he has also been chosen as one of the top 25 quick finish artists in the West.
Troy is a distinguished member of the Montana Arts Council, an organization funded by the State of Montana and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The MAC provides grants and funding to develop the creative potential of all Montanans, advance education, spur economic vibrancy and revitalize communities through involvement in the arts.
Troy is a proud member of the C.M. Russell Museum’s Russell Skull Society of Artists. He has also been named the 2022 Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival’s Featured Artist.
Working on canvas directly with his palette knife, Collins spontaneously manipulates his oil paints in a topographical impasto. Using vibrant and warm colors, Troy draws inspiration from the regional landscape of Montana, Wyoming and Utah.
Having gleaned a passion for creating a unique visual experience, Troy’s work moves each viewer into a dynamic relationship with color, texture, and design elements. Blending expressionism and impressionism, painting is a spiritual process for the artist. “I pour my heart into each composition as a celebration of the miracle of creation. My goal as an artist is to move the viewer to experience a flood of powerful emotions, to feel the energy that flows through me as I put brush to canvas.”
Painting with abandon and freedom, Troy Collins seemingly has the world captured and eagerly waiting to become one of his beautifully-crafted works of art. As unabashed and free spirited as a seasoned impressionist can hope to become, Collins has truly grasped his creative genius and has applied that inspiration to canvas. In doing so, he has produced many of his greatest work to date.
Troy’s style of painting, which focuses on both vibrant color and the effect that light and shadow have on his subject, have truly graced each of his pieces in profound and delightful ways. His passion and ability to pour his whole being into his own has allowed him creative license to produce a visual experience that is undeniable as it captures each viewer’s soul and allows them to connect with the colors, texture and design elements in an intimate way, which is completely unique and unforgettable.
Working mainly with a palette knife, Collins often paints images from memory sometimes composing a scene based on the best elements from reference photos that he takes. He says he prefers aspen trees because “the characters of aspens are so different. They’re like people. They have unique character. I have never seen two aspen that look alike…they are like snowflakes”.
Watching Troy Collins paint is a spiritual experience in itself and a highly recommended for any and all art aficionados. After all, the essence of art is to convey beauty and to allow and audience to be moved and inspired by what they see on the canvas. Troy definitely has that skill perfected in every regard. He effectively uses his talent to create art that’s soul has an inner meaning for all to enjoy. By putting brush to canvas, he is able to renew our own underlying need for beauty in our lives and the longing to understand nature as spiritual beings.
