John Irwin
Riverside, R.I.
I am primarily a self taught artist.I recently received an Associates degree in Art and would like to be a teacher.Ive been painting and drawing my whole life and showing in galleries since 2000.
How and when did you start creating art?
I spent a summer at RISD in Providence when I was twelve,working in several mediums. I have been drawing for as long as I can remember.
What media and genres do you work in?
I paint landscapes for the most part,but experiment with abstract work also. I work from life and memory. Lately I have been incorporating natural objects and paper into my artwork. The work is definitely becoming more and more abstract.
Who or what are your influences?
The French impressionists of course, Monet, Cezanne and Degas. The American ab ex movement of the late forties and fifties is another favorite period of mine. I like the big three: Pollock, De Kooning, and Rothko. Picasso is my favorite artist. Lately I have been studying Anselm Keifer and Gerhard Richter. I'd say Keifer is my hero right now.
What was your inspiration for This piece started out as an abstract painting and changed into a landscape. I live in a house in the woods and this is what I see out the window.?
Describe your creative process?
I never work on a blank canvas, I generally throw some paint around on several surfaces and wait for inspiration from the paint. A brushstroke,a drip, a blank space, anything can become a picture. I have subconscious imagery in my head too.
What are you working on currently?
I'm working on some more trees with latex paint applied with a chunk of styrofoam. I'm incorporating twigs,dried flowers and weeds into the landscape.
What are your near/long term goals as an artist?
I am trying to book solo shows in R.I. and nearby Massachusetts. I would like to be represented in New York by a reputable gallery.
Where can people view/purchase your work (gallery, website, etc)?
I show at Dryden gallery and Studio Hop in Providence and Gallery 65 in New Bedford Mass. I am involved in a two person show at DeBlois gallery in Middletown R.I. in May 2017. I am on Instagram as Johncirwin , Facebook, and I have a blog on tumblr: johnirwinsblog . My website is http://www.johnirwinartist.com
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