Jonathan Koch

Jonathan Koch (b. 1971, Santa Cruz, CA) is a contemporary realist painter whose still lifes and florals reflect a careful, meditative attention to detail and the subtle beauty of the natural world. Raised in Bonny Doon, California, in a home surrounded by art and gardens, he developed a lifelong interest in observing and representing the life around him. From an early age, he was drawn to drawing and painting, inspired by artists such as Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, and Andrew Wyeth, and later pursued studies in illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design.

After a period working as a commercial artist on the East Coast, Koch returned to California to dedicate himself to fine art. Working primarily in oil and often from life, he embraces the slow, layered process of painting as both technical practice and contemplative study. His work emphasizes close observation, subtle variations of light and color, and the quiet presence of natural subjects, creating compositions that invite reflection and attention.

Koch’s paintings have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across the United States and internationally, and his work has been featured in publications including American Art Collector and Fine Art Connoisseur.