Welcome,

Thank you for visiting my online art gallery. I am a 69-year-old self-taught artist. I began painting at age 13 when I was selected to be in a special art class by my 7th grade art teacher Henri Gadbois (www.henrigadbois.com). At that time I expected to have an art career of merit but not one based on painting pretty pictures. In 1986, at age 38, with 001 "Running Man" below, I found a composition and style of creating oil paintings on canvas that felt right for me. Below you will see the evolution of that very simple foundational painting.

In 2003 with 060 'The Birth of Peace', I began to incorporate naked females into my art. I began to consider these works of art as dreamscapes where the female was the dreamer. The female as an icon represents creativity. The male represents destruction (chaos). I choose to paint creativity.

The originals are located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and can be viewed by appointment most any time. You can contact me at:
713-825-8665 or JohnWorldPeace@gmail.com.

My art can best be categorized as a combination of Visionary Art and Outsider Art. "Visionary art as defined for the purposes of the American Visionary Art Museum refers to art produced by self-taught individuals, usually without formal training, whose works arise from an innate personal vision that revels foremost in the creative act itself."

However, my art does not look like typical visionary art.

Those labeled as Outsider artists tend to have little or no contact with the mainstream art world or art institutions. Often, outsider art illustrates unconventional ideas, elaborate fantasy worlds or extreme mental states. I have never used hallucinogenic drugs and seldom drink alcohol. I had a career as a lawyer. I now own a web design business. I do not live in a fantasy world. I have no mental illness. I am an advocate for peace but not a pacifist.

Therefore, my art should be categorized as
Visionary|Outsider Art".

My art is intended to be as interesting up close as it is from far away. It uses black and white, primary and secondary colors for emotion. It is intellectual in its hard line. Each painting is full of icons and symbols and clearly contains a multi-dimensional message which I have appended to the detail of many of the paintings. I intend my art to be attractive and significant.

The original paintings are not for sale to the general public. But a few were regrettably sold in the past. Prints are for sale. It takes on the average 20 hours to draw and paint a square foot of my paintings. The average painting is 12 square feet. Selling prints is a collateral issue. I do not create my art primarily to sell. I create it in an attempt to eventually be acknowledged as an artist who creates museum worthy masterpieces. All museums sell prints of the art in their inventory. But they are only collaterally in the print selling business. They are primarily in the business of accumulating the finest art in the world within their budget for public viewing.

My art is created to be eventually marketed through an auction house like Christie's or Sothby's or sold directly to a major museum. Yes a very lofty goal. If I dont achieve this level of marketing, I will in time set up a John WorldPeace museum and exhibit it there.

I do not expect that those who are not at the top of the pyramid of selling and collecting art masterpieces or even speculating in art, or who have do not have art careers as university professors or those who are not extremely knowledgable about art will understand or appreciate my art. Further and sadly, just the fact that my art incorporates naked females alone classifies it as degenerate or worse for most Americans and fundamental religionists. That is fine. These people are not my targeted audience.

With all due respect and best regards,

Dr John WorldPeace JD