Artist Statement

The Impact of Beauty

I see the pursuit of beauty as a service to others. Painting is my direct, personal, and unfiltered way to communicate beauty from my mind and eye to the minds and hearts of others. Art - sensory, man-made forms - actually changes the way that individuals and societies think and act. At best, visual art will produce forms that act as a calling and a means of formation for souls to be shaped in ways of beauty. Art can be thought of as a mold that impresses itself upon the matter of our senses and leaves behind some part of itself that stays with us. The harmony and beauty -- or the ugliness and discord -- that are present in the forms with which we surround ourselves inevitably mark us. In painting still life, portraits, sacred works, and illustrations, my work looks into the intersection of the natural and spiritual realms and transmits that unity to the viewer to give hope, to refreshen, and to aid in easing the burdens of this life. I see it as a personal calling to make paintings that will lift the hearts and minds of others; that will help align souls with the beauty of creation and the Creator.

Creative Freedom

I aim to produce art that is deeply and intrinsically aligned with the principles of Goodness, Truth, and, most directly, Beauty. All of my art is an expression of my creative vision. I am committed to providing my clients and patrons with complete satisfaction whenever they purchase or commission artwork from me. I trust that all parties who graciously patronize my work will understand that, in order to do my best as an artist, I must have liberty to decline requests that do not align with the principles behind my work or my vision of beauty. 

~ John H. Folley