Seth Tummins was raised by Hurricane Creek outside of McEwen, Tennessee – a rural area about an hour west of Nashville. He spent his youth in the fields, handling rocks at the creek and walking up the road to see family while taking in the world around him.

Art was not a part of Tummins’ youth or education – he only saw paintings in schoolbooks. Still, nature asked him to look longer, to listen more carefully. A longing to speak back to beauty with beauty grew within him, and so in December 2009, after making sporadic creative efforts, he decided to learn to paint.

In his current studio work, he chooses to respond to marks on the surface rather than rigidly adhering to sketches or photographs. The surface –  the lines, shapes, and physicality of the paint - is just as important as the scene. The experience of a place is more valuable than its appearance, so using memory and an open mind are important aspects of his process that link the past with the present. Nature is the starting point, not the goal.

Recent shows and recognitions include the New Salem Museum of Art and Academy’s International Exhibition, the Almenara Art Prize exhibition, the Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, and a finalist for the Plein Air Salon’s annual grand prize.