Today we’d like to introduce you to John Adelman.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up in a small town in northern Ohio, majored in drawing, painting, and printmaking at The Ohio State University.
Worked in a t-shirt screen printing factory, where I produced approximately 12million images in 11+ years. Moved to TX in 2003, and began my graduate studies at UNT in Denton, which was initiated by my sister, Amie, full professor, program coordinator of the Fibers Dept (which is being discontinued as of fall 2018) at UNT. At each of these stages, I learned more about myself as an artist and in particular, an artist with the desire of constant creation and innovation, about isolation and mental cognition, and about personal achievement, personal spirituality and the fundamental capacity of art to enhance the lives of others.
Please tell us about your art.
My work centers around the “component,” a single isolated object or word, compounded many thousands of times over to create original, unique and wholly inventive visual image. The work is, at present, primarily gel ink on canvas. Work created as drawings and displayed as paintings.
Mostly the work is text-based, using the 1979 Unabridged Webster’s Dictionary, which is transcribed onto canvas through a series formula-based rules which guide the direction of the work. The formula is devised prior to the start of the work and carried through until the completion of the work. Nail or other object drawings utilize the real object, traced in position based on the initial start formula. It is my desire to create something wholly new and to see the consequences of the formula.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
I embrace the isolation. For connectivity, I use social media, but more heavily rely on texting. I also am involved in some online gaming where interaction with complete strangers is possible.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Locally show at Nicole Longnecker Gallery, Houston.
Regionally in TX at Holly Johnson Gallery, Dallas
Wally Workman Gallery, Austin
Works on Paper, Marfa
and most recently at Jennifer Tough Gallery, San Francisco.
Online, on Instagram, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Support: visit the galleries above and/or contact me directly on my website.
Contact Info:
- Website: thejohnadelman.com
- Phone: 940-453-0572
- Email: thejohnadelman@gmail.com
- Instagram: thejohnadelman
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejohnadelman
- Twitter: @thejohnadelman
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejohnadelman-design-014369114/
Image Credit:
Mesomill, pageantry & parlimental, Wally Workman Gallery. 07_38307, 65705 Holly Johnson Gallery, 12969_LS, 17319, Only_LS, YFTT_9 courtesy of the artist
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