The Abstract Art of John L. Payne: Elemental Nobility

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Elemental Nobility

This is a 24" x 79" acrylic, painted on a refurbished hollow core door. I am really enjoying painting on these door panels. They are light weight, easy to hang, very durable, inexpensive and do not need to be framed. In addition they are repurposed and that makes me smile. Everthing and everyone deserves a second chance!

Once again I have tried to blend art and science into something meaningful. There are six noble gasses and they are all, for the most part, inert and non-reactive. I like to think this infers that they "play well with others". In addition to showing the gasses floating lightly in the atmosphere I have included two physics equations. The first on the left is the terminal velocity equation for objects in free fall. There have been many times in my life when I have felt like I was "free falling" and it is comforting to know that even in these frightening moments, our life is ordered and has purpose. The second equation is that of gravitational attraction between two objects and it is meant to be allegorical of the attraction between two people. I am afraid however, that the equation for this human connection would be much more complex!

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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.