John's paintings capture moments of presence, love and joy combining both figurative and gestural, abstracted language, working with the human form and glimpses of nature. His bright paintings are rich with color and narrative. They are inspired by moments of human connection, either witnessed or experienced, as well as his own longing for tender moments during many times of transition, dislocation, and isolation. 

 

Wagner's paintings invite warm pause and curiosity. In these times that often feel grim, each painting is an invitation to step into, rather than isolate from, the inherent familiarity of the human experience.

 

John Taylor Wagner is an American artist born in 1985. Originally from Winter Park, Florida, he now lives and works in a studio near Los Angeles, California. In addition to drawing much from his imagination, John taught himself how to draw at a young age using magazines, photos, and paused films to study the human figure and expression. He did not think having a career as an artist was possible until much later in his life where he studied classical realism drawing.

 

Wagner is a self-taught painter.

 

His work was recently published in Divide Magazine, and selected by Dr. Harry Cooper, Senior Curator and Head of Modern Art at The National Gallery of Art Washington, d.c. to be featured in the Visual Arts Alliance (VAA) Houston’s 37th Annual Juried Exhibition, participated in multiple group shows in London. He also won "Best in Show" and "Artistic Achievement" awards for various paintings in Louisville Art Association's annual juried show and was shortlisted for Jackson's Painting Prize 2023. John is preparing for his first solo show exploring these themes of humanity opening in 2024 at the Foothills Art Center.