Biographical Narrative Through Art Exhibition

My wife, Lynn Hanson, and I had a concurrent art show at the Santa Paula Art Museum, in Santa Paula, California . Over a 125 pieces of art representing 30 years of work.

The theme of John Robertson’s narrative is creating a biography through art. John Robertson’s biography visual chronicle created with unique, individual pieces representing different aspects of his life. Although some of the work is very personal they do represent universal themes.

Over the years I have created a lot of personal work that has never been shown and few people have even seen many of the individual pieces.  Some of the work was dimensional wall pieces, others were free standing assemblages for pedestals and some are paintings.  Because of the nature of the main gallery it provided a more intimate space to show this kind of personal work.  In one sense it was a hodgepodge of things but it did represent me.  I presented the artwork in the gallery as a biography – but not necessarily a timeline.  It was not a survey of my artwork.  As I said above: it was more a visual biography created with unique, individual pieces representing different aspects of my life.  Although some of the work is very personal they are about universal themes.

Australian Shepherd Dog Art

Shepard Dog Painting

When I went to photograph this Australian Shepherd for it’s portrait it was about the most friendliest dog I had met. I probably have painted over 60 dog portraits so I have been around a lot of different breeds.  He was out in the backyard and came running up but not in that, “I am going to jump all over you” but in a very sweet and gentle way.  He did the usual smelling around me but not in an intruding way.  He didn’t do any of that poking with his nose.  He just walked around me, smelling.  I do think he smelled our cat’s odor as cats are always rubbing up against pant legs. 

 Another thing he did was what the herding dogs do, is herd me through the back yard.  Any time I moved in any direction he seemed to be guiding me.  And that was certainly noticeable when we walked towards the house.  He would walk by our side then move to the front of us and look back to make sure we were following in the right direction. That Australian Shepherd was a great dog and a great pet for their children. 

Figurative Portrait Luis Tattoo Artist

Tattoo Artist Luis Portrait

Around my studio there is always some interesting people either working in their own spaces or visiting the businesses. Luis is a tattoo artist that works in a store front in front of my studio.. There are a number of other tattoo artists there also - which I have painted. We are in a large area of about 18 light industrial spaces that have big roll up doors although the tattoo studio is an actual storefront.

I have made a habit of trying to paint the different business owners life-size either on paper as big drawings or with black paint on canvas.. I first started painting these people when II had moved in 8 years previously. . It was a way for me to meet the different neighbors . At the time it was a rough corner of the city where we live. Some of the neighbor ‘s spaces were occupied by bikers, a couple of chop shops, a couple of artists, and homeless who found the spaces cheaper to live in than local apartments and better than living on the street.

Artist John Robertson self-Portrait

This is a self portrait of me monkey-ing around with a self-portrait that the great Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo painted of herself.  If you are not familiar with her work and suggest that you make an attempt to see some of the great images she created.  Here is a great place to see a lot of her paintings:  https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/frida-kahlo/m015k04?hl=en

 Here is what Wikipedia wrote about her.   Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, post colonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist. She is known for painting about her experience of chronic pain.