I just watched one of a television series, “Spirit of the Art” (2006) and am reminded just how much I enjoy the work of artist, John Hartman. Again, I think of my journey tucked in against the shores of Georgian Bay this summer and as I look at his canvases, John Hartman’s work reaches into my heart.
It’s really impossible to describe the painterly surfaces of his images, but suffice it to say that they are lush, with both smooth quiet places interspersed with yummy thick applications. His marks are varied and in most pieces, it is possible to find depictions of figures, drawn loosely and in contrasted colour, figures that in themselves, convey a narrative. For the most part, the viewer has the feeling of floating above a surreal landscape of both warm and cool colour, water and sky elements. I treasure my hardcover book Big North, the Paintings of John Hartman, …always will! The following video can be found on John Hartman’s website listed under Projects: Columbia River.