John Taylor Wagner (b. 1985. Winter Park, Florida) works from Los Angeles, CA.
Growing up throughout the United States, Wagner turned to drawing and painting to navigate his peripatetic lifestyle. While he often found his local natural environments as a colorful muse, he found himself most drawn to using visual art as a way to communicate his understanding of humanity amidst constant change through his life. After studying classical realism at an atelier-style school and being a largely self-taught painter, Wagner further honed his skills under various accomplished artists. John paints in a bold, flat style, exploring a range of colors in his work.
I paint to delve into the vulnerabilities of humanity and forge connections with the world around me. My paintings aim to foster human connection while exploring a spectrum of emotions. Across various genres such as portraits, still life, landscapes, and interiors, each piece embodies a perspective on contemporary life incorporated with symbolism and metaphor, shaped by my personal experiences and cultural influences.
Often, I start with crude sketches to capture fleeting images and narratives that come to mind, and at times using photographs for reference. They emanate warmth and a semi-abstract style, simplifying subjects with flat forms set in familiar landscapes with vivid colors. Employing loose, thick brushstrokes and layers of diluted oil paint, I experiment with depth to convey underlying emotions. Working primarily with oil paint on canvas, wood, and paper, I leave traces of charcoal, exposed graphite marks, and oil sticks in the composition. Through my paintings, I express concealed emotions, and complexities, inviting viewers to connect with moments of vulnerability.