Born, 1968

 

    Todd Derr is an artist who works primarily "en plein air" or paints directly from life. His oil paintings of his surroundings are an attempt to capture the sublime beauty of an ever changing world. His love of nature and the wonder and awe it inspires is a constant motivator to get out thee and paint. Most of his paintings seek to find the undisturbed or timeless scene with no human attachments.

Todd was born and grew up in rural Indiana and has always been an avid outdoorsman, exploring the woods and creeks around his home. His love of hiking, canoeing/kayaking, cycling, and just being outside led to a natural fit to become a plein air painter. He loves to travel and paint.

    He has trained with Troy Kilgore, Bill Fletcher, and Greg Summers and draws inspiration from many modern representational artist's such as Joshua Been, Scott Christensen, Matt Smith, Jim McVicker, and countless others as well as past greats like Sorolla and Sargent.

    Todd is an Air Force veteran and spent many years as a technician and mechanic before deciding to dedicate the rest of his life to pursue his dream of becoming a full time artist. 

    Todd now lives in Cleveland, Tennessee and loves to explore and paint that beautiful part of the country.

 

MEMBERSHIPS:

Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association

 

Indiana Plein Air Painters Association, former member.

 

Awards:

 

Oct. 2023 - Museum Purchase Award at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art Buffalo Plein Air Paint Out.

 

Sep. 2021 - Honorable Mention, Quick Paint at the Blue Ridge Mountains Plein Air in Blue Ridge, GA.

 

Apr. 2019 - Honorable Mention Award, First Brush of Spring Plein Air Competition in New Harmony, IN.

 

Apr. 2019 - 1st Place, Henderson Society of Art, A Fresh Perspective Exhibition at the Audubon Museum, Henderson, KY.

 

Nov. 2018 - Award of Merit, Indiana Plein Air Painters Association Members Exhibition, Hoosier Salon Gallery, Carmel, IN.

 

Oct. 2018 - Award of Excellence at the Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition at McBride Gallery, Annapolis, MD. Judge, Kathy Anderson 

 

Sep. 2018 - 3rd Place at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art Buffalo Plein Air Paint Out

 

Sep. 2018 - 1st and 3rd Place at the Village Paint Out, Brown County Art Guild, Nashville, IN.

 

Sep. 2018 - 3rd Place at the TC Steele Paint Out in Nashville, IN.

 

Sep. 2018 - Best in show at the Rockport, IN. plein air paint out.

 

Aug. 2018 - 2nd Place at the Jasper, IN. Strassenfest pleinn air paint out.

 

Nov. 2017 - 2nd Place Award in the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association Members Exhibition, New Castle, IN.

 

Oct. 2017 - Best of Show Great Ohio River Valley Paint Out in Henderson, KY.

 

Sep. 2017 - 1st Place at the 2017 Owensboro Museum of Fine Art Buffalo Plein Air Paint Out

 

Sep. 2017 - Honorable Mention at the Great Outdoor Art Contest at the T.C. Steele Historic Site

 

May 2017 - 2nd Place at the Festival of Flowers Paint Out at the T.C Steele State Historic Site in Brown County, Indiana

Apr. 2017 - 6th Place Award from the Henderson Society of Art at the A Fresh Perspective 25th Annual Juried Exhibition at the J.J Audubon Museum .

 

Oct. 2016 - 3rd Place Purchase Award at the 2016 Owensboro Museum of Fine Art Buffalo Plein Air Paint Out.

 

Sep. 2016 - 1st Place Award Owensboro Art Guild Members Show

 

Apr. 2016 - 4th Place/Friends of Audubon Award at the A Fresh Perspective 24th Annual Juried Exhibition, hosted by the John J. Audubon Museum and the Henderson Society of Art, Henderson, KY.

 

 Oct. 2015 - Best In Show at the Ohio Valley Art League sponsored Ohio River Valley Plein Air Paint Out

 

Oct. 2015 - 2nd Place Purchase Award at the 2015 Owensboro Museum of Fine Art Buffalo Plein Air Paint Out

Mar. 2015 - Honorable Mention and Purchase Award at the 53rd Annual Owensboro Art Guild Regional Juried Exhibition at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art

 

Sep. 2014 - Award of Merit at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Buffalo Plein Air Paint Out

 

Sep. 2013 - 1st Place Owensboro Art Guild Members Show

 

Sep. 2013 - Best Ohio River Scene Award- Henderson, KY. Plein Air Paint Out sponsored by the Ohio Valley Art League

 

May 2013 - Two Purchase Awards for both paintings entered in the Owensboro Art Guild Regional Juried Show at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art

 

Education:

 

Feb. 2018 - 3 day plein air workshop with R. Gregory Summers in Big Bend National Park, Texas

 

Oct. 2015 - 2 day Plein Air Workshop with Troy Kilgore

 

May 2014 - Advanced Plein Air Workshop with Bill Fletcher

 

1987-1991 - United States Air Force

 

 

 

1986 - Boonville High School, Boonville, Indiana

 

 

Collections:

Permanent Collection of the Owensboro Museum of Fine art

 

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

 

Private collections in several US states, Great Britain, UAE, and Australia.