Today we’d like to introduce you to John Wentz.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I think the only difference with artists as that we just never stopped drawing. We all do as children; some of us just don’t stop. When I was young, I was very, very shy. I spent a lot of time reading comic books and at some point decided to copy the panels of my favorites. I painstakingly copied nearly every panel of Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns.” Later it was Spider-man, and anything Alan Moore wrote. Many many years later, I decided to enroll in art school after I saw the progress my best friend had made in just six months. I enrolled as an illustration student but changed to Fine Art after a year. I don’t do well being told what to do. And from there I just kept going. It’s been a great journey.
Please tell us about your art.
As a painter, I mostly work in oils. My focus is on portraiture with; I guess you could say, abstract sensibilities. I like to paint people because people interest me. I’m interested in their lives, their stories, passions, and fears. I’m also very interested in how the human brain perceives the world around us. These two things translate into my art. My approach to abstraction, or an “unfinished” style, is based on perception. To abstract and leave things, unresolved really engages the brain. It wants to “complete” the rest. I also find this approach allows the viewer to bring his or her own story to the piece; to create a dialogue with the painting. This is really my goal as an artist.
What do you think about the conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I think it’s a bit of both. It’s become easier in that we can promote ourselves and do a lot more business ourselves. The internet has provided artists with a lot of freedom that didn’t exist before. That being said, there’s quite an over saturation of art out there which makes it difficult to be seen. I think cities need to put more money into the arts, arts education, and arts sponsored events. We need to educate people about art and the importance it plays in our lives.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I just had a solo show in Feb. with Hashimoto Contemporary in SF. I’m currently working on some projects in Europe. Next show will be at Pretty Portal Gallery in Dusseldorf, Germany in October 2019.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.johnwentz.com
- Email: johnwentzart@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnwentz/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jwentzart/
- Other: https://www.hashimotocontemporary.com/artists/26-john-wentz/works/
Image Credit:
John Wentz
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