Artist Statement

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, John will not be able to take part in this year's Derbyshire Open Arts weekend. Please feel free to contact him if you are interested in his work."

I work in Textured Abstract Landscape and Portrait Painting in oils and printmaking. I
see the act of painting as uniting the physical with the imagination; creating an object that builds a poetic connection between the tangible and transcendent.
The materials I use to create textured and glossy surfaces are made with colourful pigments, oils, waxes, wood ash, marble dust and gold leaf. These create tactile, sensual feelings in the manipulated surfaces, enticing the viewer to see beyond an image where they can travel to a place for contemplation - evoking emotions, stories, and memories.
My process begins with a search for meaning in the world: be it through a feeling for a place, poetry, story or myth. I draw and also use digital painting to develop a mood. I will then go to the canvas and experiment with paints and tones until an atmosphere develops, building the multiple layers of the painting. I also enjoy the challenge of traditional portrait painting, capturing the gaze of the subject.
My artwork is currently available at The Treeline Gallery, Bakewell, Derbyshire, UK and online from my website. My most recent work in digital illustration - the book “I’m Just Me” by Kenzi Jupp, is available at Waterstones. I hold an MA in Fine Art Practice and Education from Birmingham School of Art. I have previously exhibited at the New Art Gallery, Walsall; Dronfield Hall Barn; The Birmingham Institute and Tate Liverpool. I also create light installations using photography, video effects, animation and projectors - recently working with Dronfield Hall Barn, Inkbrew Productions for Huddersfield Pride and Ignite Imaginations.