This month’s featured creator, Todd Transou, is an oil painter whose journey from architectural designer to artist began after a traumatic brain injury reshaped his life. Inspired by nature, his richly textured landscapes and florals blend realism with impressionism – each one a quiet testament to resilience, beauty and healing through art.
Todd Transou | Oil Painter
In November of 2000, Winston-Salem native Todd Transou was working as a principal designer for an international architectural firm in Chicago when he suffered a traumatic brain bleed caused by an undiagnosed arteriovenous malformation (AVM). At only 36 years old, the event left him unable to speak or write, with paralysis on his right side – requiring a stroke-like recovery process. Thankfully, as a left-handed artist with his creative faculties intact, Todd could still draw. After months of physical therapy, he returned home to North Carolina, where painting became both a source of healing and a new creative path.
How would you describe your work?
I work in pencil, pastel and paint, but oil paint is my favorite medium because it is the most forgiving. I paint scenes from nature – landscapes and florals. My style lies somewhere between realism and impressionism. I observe my subject and translate those images to the canvas with a generous application of paint.
What influences your art?
Nature and landscapes inspire me. I take photos of places in nature that move me, so I can paint them in my studio. Due to my disability, taking my time is a necessary part of my process.
How have you evolved, personally, as an artist?
The question really is, how has my art helped me evolve personally? When I am in my studio painting, I am able to lose myself completely in the process. I no longer think about my disabilities or how to navigate my life around them. Art began as therapy but has transformed into a dedicated craft.
What does your painting mean to you?
Since leaving the professional world, painting has provided an opportunity for me to continue creating. I have an established schedule. I also have a studio separate from my home which allows me to devote time, space and focus to my painting. My studio setting is surrounded by like-minded artists who provide an exchange of ideas.
Do you have a favorite story behind one of your paintings and why?
A solitary, winter walk on Sunset Beach, NC inspired me to paint that scene. It was such a peaceful moment, and the painting in its monochromatic palette allows me to reflect on that time and continue to savor it.
What are you working on that excites you right now?
I am painting the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, set in the springtime.
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with fellow artists, especially those at the start of their careers?
When I was a kid, I attended an art camp at Reynolda House here in Winston-Salem. This first introduction to art classes changed my life. Who knew when my mom signed me up that it would be such a formative experience? My advice to fellow artists is to learn basic painting techniques through classes and then practice, practice, practice.
If you are interested in learning more about this month’s artist, Todd Transou, you can find his work on Instagram @etransouart.
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