Jonathon Telcher (b.1972) Australian abstract painter.
Developing texture, colour interaction and illusion are Jon’s hallmarks. He applies paint with knife, scraper and brush, eliminating brush marks, feathering edges, and blending areas to create flat matte surfaces.
In acrylic works, he uses water to soften surfaces for excavation, exposing underlying layers for re-application of paint layers and surface texture building. The resulting drips and watermarks are intrinsic to the development of works and point to the dynamic act of creation through destruction. In oil works, the technique is broadly similar, but using gum turpentine.
His dark minimalist compositions are meant to evoke calmness, with paintings oriented vertically in a portrait configuration despite being considered landscapes. The preference for portrait orientation is due to Jon painting directly from his subconscious to create something that connects. Inevitable decay and constant renewal are implied. The work is intentionally contradictory, illusion within a minimalist framework and the goal of flat surfaces that are quite layered and textured, aiming to draw out feeling, emotion and memory within the viewer.
Jon is a veteran and suffers numerous conditions as a result of his service.