#SoCaltech: Todd Swart

“I was just on my way to work one day when I saw an advertisement for an art studio that teaches adult art classes. They offered a free introductory class, so I went in, took the class, and got totally hooked. I started with basic drawing skills and then moved into painting. Oil painting, specifically, and I have stuck with it ever since.

“Oil is a very forgiving medium. Any mistake you make, you can paint over it. Oil paint also has a slow dry time, so you can continue to mix paint right on the canvas while it's still wet, sometimes even the next day. That flexibility is a big part of why I love it.

“My first love is landscape. I have always said if I lived in Montana, I would be a landscape painter exclusively. But living in the city, it's challenging to get a constant supply of landscape references. So, I have turned to the urban environment for subject matter, and I really fell in love with it. Old Town Pasadena, sunrise and sunset scenes, city streets with people just chatting or walking down the sidewalk. I am really trying to capture the feeling of being there. Right now, I am starting a series of downtown LA paintings, and I am also trying to scope out other locations around LA, like Culver City and the Sunset Strip.”

Todd Swart manages Parking and Commuter Services at Caltech. His paintings are available on his website.

#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.