Jonathan Koch was born in Santa Cruz, California in 1971 and had the good fortune of being raised in a creative family surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Santa Cruz Mountains. His mother, Maryjo — a gifted author and accomplished watercolorist fostered a deep appreciation for nature and art in her children and to this day remains one of their greatest influences not only artistically but also in life. Koch began his formal studies in art making at Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA (1989-1992) and later continued his education at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island (1992-1994) At RISD he was able to challenge himself artistically while immersing himself in art. Shortly after completing his studies he returned to Santa Cruz and found work as an illustrator producing media for books and magazines for nearly 10 years. Driven by a need to express himself freely Koch made the decision in 2006 to focus solely on his own work and began to hone his skills in classical technique of which he is primarily self taught. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time as an illustrator as it taught me to express ideas and concepts visually — but I no longer wanted someone else to decide what I should paint. I have always had the desire to keep growing as an artist, to challenge myself, and I felt compelled to paint directly from life inspired by nature and my surroundings in the mountains.”Koch began to study more intently the process and creative choices of the Masters and to make Master copies while visiting museums. He also added to his library books on technique such as: ’Rembrandt – The Painter at Work’ by Ernst Van De Wettering, ‘Velazquez-The Technique of Genius by Jonathan Brown, Carmen Garrido’, ’The Materials of the Artist and Their Use in Painting’ by Max Doerner, and ’Oil Painting Techniques and Materials’ by Harold Speed. Inspired by artists such as Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, Fantin Latour, John LaFarge, Raphaelle Peale, Emil Carlson, and Jean-Baptiste Chardin, Koch transforms the ordinary through the lens of his own personal vision by producing beautiful paintings of the most serious consideration. Experimenting with shape, color, lighting and placement his uncluttered arrangements of fruit and flower imbue a sense of quietude and tonality very pleasing to the eye. As an illustrator Koch has worked in water color, acrylic, and other more modern disciplines. As a realist painter he prefers oil to to transmit light. For Koch it is the medium most suited to capture the unique qualities of nature. “Oil painting allows me to be free with the brush, yet also encourages the finest detail. I thoroughly enjoy the process of painting, and understand the importance of following the traditions and methods of the Old Masters. I am fascinated by the unending beauty of nature and how ordinary objects and organic shapes are revealed in light; the still life genre allows me to explore these curiosities further. Jonathan Koch is represented by galleries in California, Massachusetts and South Carolina. He has been a featured artist in American Art Collector, 2013, 2014 and Fine Art Connoisseur, 2016. Koch has had several solo exhibitions in California and has participated in many group exhibitions throughout the United States. He currently lives and works in Santa Cruz, CA.