About the Artist
As a long time painter and art collector, I have asked many times, “Why do we artists paint?”. What drives us to create? For me, over time the answer has remained the same….the joy of painting, an opportunity to grow, and to share.
After four decades of creating, I wonder what lies ahead?
Much of my journey has been in abstract painting…moving from the descriptive to what lies behind…feelings instead of objects. Perhaps that will continue, but of late my focus has been experimental…trying new things, processes and materials driven by pure curiosity. “What if…”
So often, we artists get driven my convention. Perhaps this stems from what we were taught. It may be influenced by the latest trends. But convention falls short when it fails to question. Why must pictures be rectangular or square? More recently, mine have been oblique’s or diamond formats. This series started simply by tilting a painting in my hands which did not seem to work. Doing so produced an interesting visual result.
And, contrary to current marketing wisdom, more of my pieces have become larger. Mark Rothko painted large color field works, which he wanted viewers to study up close. I like that experience. You can feel the vibrations and psychic energy. You become part of the work.
Simplicity has always been high on my list. Carmen Herrera’s work in graphic minimalism amazes me. How simple can you get? It flies in the face of data mania. How many inputs per day can we handle? Interestingly, she was not discovered until she was in her mid-eighties. At last count, she was 101. Maybe, I still have time (?).
And for quite a while, my simple open space paintings offered a feeling of solitude and serenity… rare these days. I still do some of these but their genesis was driving to New Mexico and experiencing the great colors and expanses there.
Maynard Dixon’s open space works still captivate me. And in an invitation to share, you will find some mighty nice new work at our new gallery location. I continue to be amazed by much of it. Yes, Cove artists are in my collection. Often, I sit with a cup of coffee and study their fine work. My best compliment is in sometimes saying, “I wish I had painted that!”
Yes, many artists are real escapists. So take your own escape with us at the Cove!
Come meet John in person at the October Laguna First Thursday Art Walk Reception on Thursday, October 5, 2017 from 6 – 9 pm in the Cove Gallery.
The New Cove Gallery is directly across PCH from the front entrance to the Surf & Sand Resort at 1550 South Coast Highway, and next door to Vertigo Home, in the historic Granada Building. (Just ½ block south of our old location in the Art Center!”
About the Cove Gallery
The Cove Gallery is an artist-owned Gallery featuring 14 accomplished artists specializing in a contrast of styles of beautiful original art in the mediums of oils, acrylics, watercolor, mixed media along with 3-D photography, digital art and traditional Photography. They are presented in an ever changing exhibition with the artists there for you to meet and enjoy.
When you buy at Cove Gallery, you are buying original fine art DIRECTLY FROM THE ARTIST. YOU SAVE because there are no added gallery fees on top of the artists’ work.
Our new address is:
1550 South Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: (949) 715-7149
Email: info@covegallerylaguna.com
Gallery Hours:
Wednesday through Monday:
Spring/Fall/Winter: 11am to 5pm Summer Hours: 11am to 6pm
