Featured Artist Jon Winslow

Artist Jon Winslow’s paintings transport the viewer into an upbeat, dreamlike and slightly off-kilter world. See more of his work by visiting his website.

 

 

What I am working on now is probably a good place to start in my continuing, never-ending, artistic journey. My art is a projection of my perceptual inner world—happy, dreamlike, and a bit distorted.

 

 

I live on the Emerald Coast of the Florida Panhandle. My paintings reflect a laid-back, tropical, island lifestyle with no worries to weigh you down. Sounds a bit unrealistic, but that’s what dreams are for.

 

 

Personally, I want to feel happy when I look at the walls my paintings hang on. There’s already more than enough gloomy personal and global life events.

 

 

I let the go of the gloominess and use my upbeat perspective to inspire my happy seascape scenes that include dilapidated cottages, worn-down boats and crystal white sandy beaches.

 

 

Just as life is sometimes a dichotomy, my loosely- rendered, sometimes primitive painting style is 180 degrees opposite of my former classical realism artistic technique.

 

 

Personally trained for four years by the nationally acclaimed portrait artist Patricia Johnson, my subject material included painting from live models in a tightly rendered format. As you might surmise, my photorealistic painting style required tremendous patience and discipline with a perfectionist outcome. Yes, I was drained, but also deeply satisfied upon its completion.

 

 

Around the year 2000, a chance encounter with a street artist shifted my artistic expression. After that, I was fortunately invited to participate in the 2005 International Florence Biennale. I received artist recognition in the New York/Art Fairs International Publication of April 2006 from a New York and International Art Critic.  Subsequent art shows and associated awards, art festivals, exhibitions and newscast media interviews filled up my calendar.

 

 

About five years ago I “crossed over” to the world of Abstract painting, using my bold colors and rigorous painting strokes to create brilliant, energetic paintings.

 

 

I used my hands, pallet knives, and whatever makeshift tools to capture the essence of what my emotions emoted deep inside me. The brilliant reds, yellows and oranges that I used on my tropical paintings dominated the mixed media canvases.

 

 

My artist career has now come back full circle – back to my current loosely rendered tropical subject matter. I believe returning to my previous style of current painting is inspired by both the resurging demand for my tropical paintings and my philosophical and theological belief system that perceives the world as a dream.

 

 

As such, my paintings reflect this happy dream of mine. This “wake-up call” expands to my relationships, and I attempt to see differently in all life situations. My vision includes each and every one of you.

 

Artist Jon Winslow invites you to follow him on Facebook.

 

Want to stay current on cutting edge business articles from Artsy Shark, plus artist features, and an invitation to the next Call for Artists? Click below to sign up for our twice-monthly email. You’ll get all this plus opportunities and special offers that you can’t get anywhere else!