WILLIAM
JOHNS
Upon the first glance at a William Johns painting, the viewer
is captivated by the brilliant beauty of the piece, the fantastic composition,
the richness of the colors and the masterful precision of the brushwork.
The attention to detail in every element is impressive.
This alone would make a Johns painting stand out from the crowd. Johns
is a master painter in oil, a rarity in these days when artists are
prone to trade great beauty and depth, achievable only in oil paint,
for the ease and quickness of acrylic. But there is more to this than
the obvious beauty.
William Johns explores the post twentieth century world. He explores
the new roles for both genders, new ethics, the meaning of work, and
changes in family structures. The paintings ask questions. What is the
meaning in some images that seem out of place? Why are the men in these
paintings vague, resembling wooden mannequins? What is the relationship
of this figure to the female images of fully evolved feature and personality?
Are the wooden men isolated? Are they retreating? Are they changing?
The wooden figure may be mystery or a fictitious character. He could
be a self portrait or a facade to hide behind.
Gallery 444 is proud to be the exclusive gallery to represent William
Johns in the United States. William Johns has, by word of mouth and
a small smattering of group exhibitions in Australia, sold every painting
that he has ever offered. This popularity was not gained by overblown
public relations campaigns: it was gained because the paintings speak
for themselves. He has a following of serious collectors of his work.
Deer Meets Tree Study 1
© 2023 GALLERY 444, SAN FRANCISCO