Torsten Wolber does much of his work in the open air; he is a master of Plein Air painting. As well as a good eye, Plein Air painting demands precise brushstrokes and a confident use of the palette, as the timeframe and the exact moment to capture the atmosphere is very short. In his paintings we see the sharp eye and the well-founded technique of the illustrator.

For almost 30 years Torsten Wolber worked as a graphic artist and illustrator and since 2017 painting has formed an increasingly larger part of his work. In 2020 he took the decision to devote himself entirely to painting. This meant he was able to break away from the constraints of the requests and requirements of his clients, which leave too little room for his own ideas. He says himself “With illustrations the design is the creative act and the implementation is technical ability. With painting it is completely the other way round: the picture is allowed to make its own way.” He describes Plein Air painting as a brilliant exercise to free oneself again and again from the “plan of the illustrator” and to let the picture develop.

In this way he develops small format landscapes, many of them on the island of Wangerooge. There are beach scenes and seascapes which reflect the typically rapid changes of weather and mood. Amongst his paintings there are those which have originated in the Völklingen Ironworks or on a visit to rural North America. These almost have the appearance of still life or even of vanitas or memento mori paintings. Nature takes over disused industrial sites which once represented progress and prosperity. Delapidated factory buildings and remains of machines together with rusting limousines are former status symbols decaying in overgrown gardens and the artist impressively shows the contrast between luxuriant nature and the beauty of the past.

His studio pieces depict people with sensitivity. He paints them in seemingly off-guard moments, lost in their thoughts, some turned away, others looking directly at us out of the picture. One can recognise both Wolber’s joy in experimentation as well as his excellent technical ability.

He works exclusively in oil, a medium he applies using many layers. His characteristic style usually consists of thick and broadly applied layers of paint colours that bleed into each other or of nuanced passages of almost completely merged colours. This draws attention to a certain structure, gesture or pose complemented with an accent of colour or light. With broad paint application the artist creates fine nuances. There is also a fascinating use of scrapers with which outlines are broken up. In this way the picture of a leaping dancer for example is given powerful dynamic qualities.

There is nothing fusty or old-fashioned about Torsten Wolber’s portraiture or representational work. The bold brushwork and his realism create timeless and vibrant paintings.