Check Out Todd Westover’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Westover.

Hi Todd, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Todd Westover is an internationally exhibited artist, known for his distinctive “flower power” style. His work has been shown in Barcelona, Spain; Paris, France; Venice, Italy; Brussels, Belgium; Osaka, Japan; Dubai, UAE; New York, NY; as well as the greater Los Angeles, CA area. The flowers in Westover’s work are more than a flower—they’re an emblem, a brushstroke, a doodle he has drawn since childhood, when Pop Art and Flower Power imagery of the ‘60s and ‘70s left a lasting imprint on Todd’s design aesthetic. With the deft utilization of the flower brushstroke, he is able to create portraits, houses, scenics, nudes, vases on tables, and abstracts. The repetitive rounded curves and flowing circles have a familiar sensuality and his paintings all share the same joyous iconographic doodles of his youth, thereby fulfilling his desire to bring a bit more joy into the world. While exhibiting a solo show in Barcelona in 2023, Westover was commissioned by the gallery to paint a mural, which remains there to date. Todd has recently collaborated with a diverse group of artists including painters, photographers, and luthiers. Todd Westover’s work is a celebration of life.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Landing in Spain for a solo show at a gallery in Barcelon, not knowing a soul, or the language, quickly turned into a huge challenge and often quite an adventure. Art supply stores there are not as prevalent or well-stocked as they are in the US. I had brought a large painting rolled up in a ski bag and had figured that I would be able to find stretcher bars in Barcelona. The biggest art store in town only had three of them at the size I needed and was told it would take weeks to order more. While painting a mural there, I asked the gallery assistant who was helping me with supplies for a can of black paint. She returned from the hardware store with a can. In large type I saw the word NEGRO and without thinking too much, I started painting with it, using a rag dipped in the paint to cover large areas and create a texture. I painted until it got dark (around 10:00 pm) and started to clean up. Immediately after putting my hands covered in paint up to my elbows under water I realized the paint I used was oil based enamel and not water soluble. I spent the rest of the night looking for a solvent to clean my hands ultimately using gasoline from a gas station. An adventure to say the least, but the mural exists to this day.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I use acrylic paint, it dries quickly, and allows me to layer colors easily starting with a rough idea or composition in mind. At some point the painting takes over, and shows it has a mind and soul of its own. It becomes subconscious, forms flowing, happy accidents stumbling one onto another, organically creating the perfect outcome. The brush strokes create so much more than a flower – it brings to life the visual expression of what is inside of me, and stimulates positive reactions in viewers as well, bringing out their happiness and love of life.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My life partner, Diana Hobstetter, is the most loving and supportive person I’ve ever met.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://westovertodd.com
• Instagram: @westovertodd
• Facebook: todd.westover.104

Image Credits
Photo of Todd on the couch: Steve Lucero