Seth Tummins was raised by Hurricane Creek outside of McEwen, Tennessee, a rural area about an hour west of Nashville. He spent his youth in the fields, handling rocks at the creek and walking up the road to see family, while taking in the world around him.

Art was not a part of Tummins’ youth or education — he only saw paintings in schoolbooks when in history class — and he did not always draw, paint, or sculpt. Still, nature beckoned him to look longer, to listen more carefully. A longing to speak back to beauty with beauty grew within him, and so in 2009, after making sporadic creative efforts, he decided to learn to paint.

Beginning in 2010 he joined The Chestnut Group and Oil Painters of America, taking advantage of learning opportunities with both. He has participated in several workshops with local professionals and attended Plein Air South, where opportunity abounds.

In his current studio work, he chooses to respond to marks on the surface rather than rigidly adhering to sketches or photographs. For Tummins, the experience of a place is more valuable than the appearance, and what is within the frame is the lasting truth.

Recent recognitions include winning the Coors Award from Fine Art Connoisseur at the 2023 Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale; the Figurative Honorable Mention Award at the 2021 Oil Painters of America National Show; Third Place in the April/May 2022 PleinAir Salon; and the Best of Show Award at the 2021 SAGE Community Arts National Show.

Tummins aspires to be a member of the Salmagundi Club, to show at The Booth Western Art Museum, and to be a Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America and the American Tonalist Society. He is self-represented.