John Schüyler Mixed Media

Born in New York, John eventually moved to southern Florida and began painting in the 1990's. Much of his work is influenced by his natural environment particularity the horizon where earth meets sky. This subtle definition of space grounds his work to a sense of place without limiting what can be experienced there. His work is as much visual as it is visceral. There is not only image, color, light and dark, but texture, design, and balance. John works in a process of layering, pouring and scraping off, leaving traces of earlier information, a build up and overlap of successive stages which ask that the viewers attention continually adjusts in order to consider the various perceptual possibilities within the subject. The paintings reveal themselves slowly, asking you to explore each successive layer underneath and to examine the relationship between space and depth, presence and absence. His desire is to draw his viewers into the conversation. "The biggest difference is my approach," says John. "Rather than undertake each painting with a predetermined idea of the outcome, I've started to let the pieces unfold on it's own and, as a result, the work has come to me a lot easier." "I have experienced an epiphany in letting the process guide me in revealing the painting, rather than "painting" the painting." Inspired by what he describes as his day-to-day environment, Schüyler's studio is designed for promoting serenity and concentration. He allows this soothing and sense of calm and control translate into his work.

Artist's Statement

The inspiration for my work is both selective and indiscriminate. After the initial influence sparks the beginning of a painting, the piece generally takes on a vision of it's own, a relationship develop between us and occasionally conflicts must be overcome. At other times it's very passionate and in the moment, not questioning the end result, allowing it will take me where it wants to go. My work continues to evolved over the years and it has undergone numerous transformations.