John D Wilson | Art

John D Wilson | Art

By john D Wilson

Years ago when my 4 year old daughter, Stephanie, brought home a picture she had done at playgroup, little did I realise how that one little picture was going to change my life, my career, and the whole way I looked at art! It was only a small picture of a stickman figure which had been made into a Christmas card which I put on my mantelpiece with all my other cards. But when I sat down and looked at it again, along with a print of a Lowry painting I had hanging above it, it made me think that when Lowry was 4 years old he would have painted figures just the same way as my daughter did; as would Turner, Monet, Constable, Hockney and all the other great artists of our time. It was this moment that gave me the idea of mixing children’s art with art created by adults. At that point I started painting what have now become known as my gallery paintings featuring stick figures, along with miniature masterpieces by famous artists of past and present in the background. It gives me chance to paint some amazing and technically difficult works first created by famous artists, whilst at the same time adding my own little bit of childhood humour.

In this new collection you will see my characters in various settings; all of which I hope will bring a smile to your face as well as an interesting piece of art to your walls.

“The family bath. . . . the thought of this just made me smile. Of course it wouldn’t be very practical, but it would save water, and like a lot of my pictures, once I’ve got the idea in my head I have to paint it. “

Bath Time Limited Edition Giclée of 150 | Image size 13½” x 18” | £325

“Andy Warhol once said that we’ll all be famous for 15 minutes at some point in our lives. With this picture I’m giving some of my characters their 15 minutes in the spotlight.“

In The Spotlight Limited Edition Giclée of 150 | Image size 14½” x 22” | £350

The Masters II Limited Edition Canvas on Board of 150 | Image size 13” x 36” | Framed £350

“I am the least photogenic person in the world, and yet every so often I have to pose for photographs and put on that ‘painted smile’. I think everyone can relate to this scenario; we all dislike doing the family poses, but we all do it and sometimes even suggest it! More often than not though the end result is lways delightful and provides a wonderful lasting memory.“

Smile Limited Edition Giclée of 150 | Image size 13½” x 18” | £325

The Masters I Limited Edition Canvas on Board of 150 | Image size 13” x 36” | Framed £350

“The edition of paintings entitled ‘The Masters’ came about by choosing the most famous and most recognisable paintings of all time. When painting a gallery scene it can be difficult to get any depth into a picture so I try to achieve this by painting layers of walls getting further and further back, giving the appearance of depth on a flat canvas. Some of my own favourite artists that have influenced me the most are Lowry, Lichtenstein, Van Gogh and Max Hayslette. You will see that these are artists I tend to use quite often in my paintings. As an artist you can never say that you know it all. Every day you are experimenting with something or other, maybe colours or textures or subject matter. Whatever it may be it’s what makes this job so exciting to me. My studio is like a magnet to me every time I walk past the door and get that smell of linseed and turpentine I’m drawn inside. I always look at things through rose coloured glasses, I like to look for the good in things and I try to depict this in my paintings. I like to think that when people look at my pictures it will cheer them up and put a smile on their faces.“

People often ask me what all the famous paintings are within my paintings;so this time I thought I’d make it a little easier and provide a key to all my mimmasterpieces.

THEMASTERS II Edgar Degas – Danseuse Rajustant Son Chausson Leonardo DaVinci – Mona Lisa Paul Cezanne –ViewOf L’Estaque &The Chateau D’if Edward Manet –The Grand Canal,Venice AndyWarhol – Campbells Soup Can David Hockney –The Bigger Splash Gustav Klimt –The Kiss Wassily Kandinsky – Farbstudie Quadrate Edward Hopper – Nighthawks Henri DeToulouse-Lautrec – La Clownesse Cha-U-Kao

INTHE SPOTLIGHT Mondrian – CompositionWith Red,Yellow & Blue

THEMASTERS I Matisse – Bathing InThe Reeds Salvador Dali –The Persistence Of Memory Whistler –TheArtist’s Mother Constable –The Haywain Van Gogh –VaseWith Sunflowers Mark Rothko – No.14 Pablo Picasso –WomanAsleep InAnArmchair

BEDTIME STORY Braque – Couple D’oiseaux Picasso –War & Peace

Edvard Munch –The Scream Roy Lichtenstein –The Kiss

“With my series of family pictures I tried to think of situations that we all find ourselves in. We have all woken up in the morning and found our youngest child snuggled up in the middle of the bed and yet they weren’t there when we went to sleep. You don’t remember them getting in during the night, they just seem to appear from nowhere. Despite the interruptions though we never feel angry; in hindsight these turn out to be some of our most fondest memories.“

Bedtime Story Limited Edition Giclée of 150 | Image size 13½” x 18” | £325

“.“Although I have studied the work and technique of many of the best known artists Lowry has had the most influence on my own work. In this painting I have shown the vast variety of different subject matters Lowry used, which included industrial, seascape, people studies and surreal”.

THE LOWRY LeavingThe Mill LandscapeWith Farm Buildings FerryAt Knot End

The L:andmark Portrait Of Ann Man Lying OnAWall Street Scene InThe Snow The Cart The Family

The Lowry Limited Edition Giclée of 150 | Image size 10” x 30” | Framed £375

By JOHN D WILSON

www.washingtongreen.co.uk

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