john jason phillips

I believe that viewing a painting, or other work of art is humanity's direct access to magic. The painter is granted the privilege of releasing his inner being with each stroke, while the viewer is granted access to a separate reality with each viewing. Georgia O'Keefe called this "making your unknown known" and I have spent a great number of years searching and revealing what my inner being has to say. Much of my professional life has been spent as a theatrical scenic painter and theatrical set designer, enjoying the privilege of painting for such world-renowned companies such as the Metropolitan and San Francisco Operas, American Ballet Theatre, and painting and designing for Broadway. Over the course of those years, I have been privileged to paint (on a much larger scale) the work of many – both famous designers as well as world renowned artists from the Renaissance to modern artists. I now paint almost exclusively in oil with a few ventures in watercolor as I find the expressive qualities of oil more suited to my intents. I am primarily a realistic and figurative painter, and I don’t venture into abstraction or expressionism, as I believe realistic or romantic portrayals allow me to more clearly what I personally feel about a subject and draw the viewer inside my concept. I have been allowed to see, reflect on and create visions more than many artists -- thus the world of my painting is broad, and I can provide viewpoints for my collectors that not all can produce.

What, you might ask, has that done to influence my efforts on canvas? It has allowed me to choose – to study and learn from others, then to express on my own canvases. From that experience, in addition to developing my own techniques and style I have formed my main principle – for a painting to be successful, it must be more than pigment on a surface. Through the creator’s ability it must transcend the surface and pull the viewer into the intended reality. This is not to say that this is only done through imagery – quite the contrary. Whether it be color, design, imagery or intent, the viewer cannot be allowed to stay on the surface.