Street Heart Not Street Art

About

Gary John's pop-street artworks have a whimsical, yet exciting and bold quality inspired by classic cartoon and comic book characters. Blending pop sensibilities with a roughened faux-naif street appeal, John's exuberant artworks are rendered with acrylic paint in a bold graffiti style. His choice of local newspapers or architecture paper, nods at the diverse Los Angeles neighborhoods that inspire him. Each artwork contains the unique quintessential symbols of Gary John, including references to the importance of a home, his admiration of Basquiat artworks, and his trajectory of fast-growing, limitless international success.

This colorful original pop-urban artwork on the LA Times newspaper is 23 inches high by 22 inches wide. The artwork is signed and dated by Gary John in black along the lower right corner using the first two letters of his first and last names: "GA JO". Affordable Continental U.S. and worldwide shipping are available. A certificate of authenticity issued by the art gallery is included.

Gary John has been a street artist since 1985. Originally from Seattle, Washington, he moved to Venice Beach, Los Angeles in 2003 and began selling on the Venice boardwalk. After almost 10 years selling his work on the boardwalk and experiencing “a bout with homelessness,” John first exploded onto the international art scene during Art Basel Miami in 2013. John’s playfully bold work quickly gained attention and he was named one of 20 standout artists at the 2014 New York Affordable Art Fair. His artworks continue to be exhibited at galleries and major international art fairs in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Notable collectors include Kelly Clarkson and Robert Downey Jr.

He references this success in every artwork he makes. Along the left side of the artwork he paints a series of circles joined together by an arrow pointing up. Each circle represents a stepping stone on the path of success that keeps growing to greater heights. On the right side he depicts a line of houses, expressing the joy he finds in the stability of a home.

John cites Pablo Picasso, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat as his artistic inspiration. Other influences are comic books and American pop culture. His original artworks add a new face to the continuous popularity of pop art. John says about his art: “I grew up in a dysfunctional home. I always got lost in my art as an escape. Art is my passion. There is not enough time in the day to do all the painting I want to do. I’m consumed with it.”