John Woodard – Artist Statement
A native son of the Pacific Northwest, John Albert Woodard was born in Seattle on October 10, 1949. He studied under Jacob Lawrence, his most influential mentor, and teacher, at the University of Washington. Like Lawrence, Woodard’s work, regardless of the medium, relies on sophisticated composition and close attention to the tension between the negative and positive shapes.
No matter what subjectivity John is working with in a particular series, his work is unified by an enduring passion for a thorough understanding of how color works in opposition to value. Oil painting has allowed Woodard to explore subtleties of color theory, as the medium allows him to neutralize colors and match values with precision, which is not possible in the acrylic medium. Currently, he has translated his life’s experience with oil to working with oil pastels and watercolors, in a process called watercolor resist. This technique marries the quality of painting with the immediacy and spontaneity of drawing.
John’s studio is stop #24 on the 2023 VIVA Holiday Art Studio Tour, Dec 2-3 & 9-10, Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 am – 4 pm. For more information on the free, self-guided tour and an interactive map, click here.