john grantner

REALIST PAINTINGS

It would probably seem too glib by half to say it means what it is and is what it means. That however, would be a very accurate, short definition of Realism. Born in the mid nineteenth century as a part of the general cultural and political foment in Europe, the fundamental character of Realism is reportage. That is to say that an agenda may be behind the choice of imagery but the image is presented without flourishes or theatrics; it simply speaks for itself.

I usually work from photographic references. That is, I do not project and trace photographs, but rather use photos as sketches or studies; instead of carrying a sketchbook I carry a camera. The paintings are usually built on one of several compositional grids (such as a golden section or a 4-6-9 grid) and what dominates the work is an almost purely abstract sense of design.

Although composition is of primary importance to my art, I try not to let it overwhelm the Humanism that is an essential element of Realism. My cityscapes and architectural studies lend themselves to a strongly design-oriented approach to naturalistic painting. However, it is also a means by which to observe the contemporary human condition. By observing the structures that people build, and how they adorn or neglect or glorify or vandalize these buildings, we may learn something about how and why Humanity is what it is.