Embracing The Oridinary

EMBRACING THE ORDINARY What ordinary place would you go to find the extraordinary? New York City, “Fashion Headquarters of the Universe”? Los Angeles, “Entertainment Capital of the World" ? Or how about Milan, Italy? This city has cultural heritage and legacy. Okay, but what does this have to do with ordinary? None of these places do we hardly, ever consider common. It is at the Coast of New England where you'll discover simple treasures. Their natural specialties are fresh lobsters, clams, and beautiful rocky shorelines with its legendary lighthouses. Some extraordinary people live in New England like, Stephen King, contemporary writer of novels and short stories. Andrew Wyeth, who was one of the most "collectable" living artists of our time. John Whalley, who's known for capturing everyday life – beautifully illustrated in paintings and drawings. To see more of John Whalley's works, go to www.johnwhalley.com.
The artists are distinctive in their work – but have one thing in common, they found inspiration in New England's Maine. Perhaps, for John Whalley its been the scenic coastline that has influenced him in a lot of his work. Much of his paintings and drawings reflect his surroundings and the simple beauty he sees in his life. He has been inspired by the classical perspective of the old masters like, Andrew Wyeth, and Winslow Homer who also, painted ordinary subjects of everyday life.
John Whalley	Whalley chooses the common, familiar objects such as cans, jars, baskets, tools – the things you'd take for granted, as subjects for his work. He paints and draws objects in a way uncovering their subtle beauty making them appear extraordinary. His work will cause you to look and, then look again. Only a contemplated gaze at his paintings could produce such a response. The everyday scenes he transforms into poetry by his view.
		Still Life and Crock
Kindling	In more recent years the themes running through his work have displayed a parallel connection to his volunteer work in the country Brazil. Whalley recently said, “much of what has always drawn him to paint the worn textured surfaces of objects and locations in New England and Pennsylvania have oddly enough drawn him to Latin America.” He is touched and inspired
by this country's millions of “throwaway children of the streets. “I found that there was, in a very different way, beauty and value to be discovered residing beneath the "distressed disguise" of those so frequently overlooked”, said Whalley.
Another aspect of Whalley's works are his portraits and landscapes. They appear almost flawless in detail to the viewer. His portraits are infused with feeling. His landscapes are impressive. They depict scenic splendors. Whalley is more than likely inspired by the beauty that surrounds him. The Damariscotta Lake in Maine is located right outside his studio window. It is built as if it is over the water.		Klaus
John Whalley, born in 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1976. In that same year he moved to Bridgewater, Massachusetts where he was a regular contributor of artwork to a number of New England magazines and publications. In 1981, Whalley relocated to Harrison Valley, Pennsylvania. In Harrison Valley, he helped developed a therapeutic art program for abused and abandoned children on a private 300-acre farm. It was this farm that inspired many of his early works. Whalley then, moved to Standish, Maine and lived there until 1987. It was during this period that Whalley became involved with Renaissance International, an assistance organization in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This prompted him to move to Florida to research the needs of homeless children in El Salvador.

Damariscotta Harbor Since then, Whalley has been featured in books “John Whalley”: American Realist, and In New Light, as well as other famous magazines, such as American Art Collector Magazine, He has had solo museum exhibitions at the Sheldon Swope Museum of Art, (Terre Haute, Indiana), The Georgia Museum of Art, (Athens, Georgia) and the Coral Springs Museum of Art (Coral Springs, Florida). Whalley has seen many more successes and is considered “a new realist with consummate skill”, as Edward R. Quick, author of the exhibition catalog, The Realism of John Whalley has written. Whalley's work is represented by John H. Surovek, Gallery of Palm Beach, Florida; Vose Galleries of Boston; and Greenhut Galleries of Portland (Maine). His paintings and drawings are in the permanent collections of the Portland Museum of Art, Colby College Museum of Art, the Kemper Museum of Art, and the Georgia Museum of Art, as well as many important national and international collections. Whalley's work was recently included in the “Remembering Andrew Wyeth” Exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art. His work was, also included in shows at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport, Maine, the Davistown Museum of Liberty Maine, Spanierman Gallery, and Francis Nauman Fine Art of New York. If you really consider life, God is into detail. Most moments consist of everyday things and this is why they are so important. If you delight in enjoying everyday life, you will never miss the big things. Sometimes ordinary things can become extraordinary. Roz Martin