The Abstract Art of John L. Payne: September 2011

Friday, September 9, 2011

"What Lies Beneath" - 30" x 30" x 1.5" - Acrylic - 375.00 US - SOLD

So I have discovered yet another paint application tool. This time it is a (drum roll please) PIZZA CUTTER! What a great tool for making long straight (or curved) skinny lines... I also used a piece of coat hanger to make lines in this painting as well. This painting started out with the concept of an iceburg hence the blue colors. It took a sharp turn somewhere and I ended up exploring the juxtiposition between organic forms and geometric design. One of the greatest thrills in abstract painting is watching the painting evolve and take on a life of its own. Look for more paintings similar to this one, with even more vibrant colors, to be posted soon.

String Theory - 12" x 16" (on repurposed canvas) - Acrylic - 75.00 - SOLD

This is a very small painting for me but I like the results. The canvas is stretched around a 1.5 in deep frame (gallery wrap) and the painting continues around all sides. Quantum mechanics, vibrating lines and multiple dimensions all play into String Theory. String Theory is a contender for the "Theory of Everything" and that my friend is a big bite to swallow, for to understand everything means to understand God Himself. Not to worry however, "for though now we see through a glass, darkly; one day we shall see him face to face". Then we can sit down and have him explain it all in detail!

Artist Bio

Born in Oklahoma, John Payne began drawing and painting at the age of six. Though educated and involved in the arts well into college, his life and career path drastically changed when he enlisted into the United States Nuclear Navy at the age of 21. As a submariner, chemist and nuclear plant operator, safety became an integral part of his daily life. After leaving the Navy he followed a similar path working in radiation/chemical safety and ultimately as an Environmental Health and Safety Manager for over 20 years before returning full time to his passion as an artist. John is motivated by the works of the mid-century expressionists and current abstract artists alike. While some of John's work is pure expressionism, many of his pieces are more ordered in their chaos. This effort to control the abstraction with a sense of “boundaries” is reminiscent, states the artist, of the efforts we all make to live passionately while still attempting to conform to moral and social responsibilities. John’s work is thought provoking and often littered with social and philosophical commentary. As a Navy veteran John has traveled across the USA and to other countries as well, experiencing sights and cultures which have served as inspiration to his work. After 20+ years of working in the corporate world with art as his hobby, John has recently abandoned “the grind” to pursue his work as an artist in earnest. He offers that the decision was not only overdue but "very liberating". John lives in Springfield, Missouri with his wife Pattie and two dogs.