INSIDE JOHN DAVID ANDERSON’S STUDIO

“The AGO released a t-shirt some years ago, no pun intended, that said “Art Matters”. That is my starting point. To be moved by a painting, to feel that you must be still in the presence of such a piece, that means the language of art has spoken without a word being uttered. As a painter I strive to paint from the inside out with an impressionist point of view. The subject matter is secondary to the emotional content comprised of shapes, values and colours describing a light story through a space. Studying contemporary and historical artists and their work has given me the tools to pursue my craft.

Painting outside, en plein air, is where much of the work begins. Working with smaller sizes from 6 x 8 up to 18 x 24 outside, up to 4 feet by 6 feet in the studio. The collection includes works done in various places in the province and some from Tuscany and Avignon to my street wanderings in Roncensvalles. Photo references sometimes are the kernel of an idea. Often, black and white images become my source for larger works. That started almost 30 years ago. Colour gives mood, character and ambience from my interpretation and experience producing the painting.

My goal is to build an engaging surface of colour and light and an emotional edge providing the viewer with a reward that is uniques to my way of seeing.” – John David Anderson