John Taylor Wagner

Still Life With Molotov Cocktail

Bankside Gallery: Rising Artists, Jackson's Painting Prize 2023
Oil
Panel
25 x 20 cm

£525

“My paintings are an investigation of the present moment. What can’t be spoken fascinates me. There are infinite stories and experiences in each moment of our lives. I appreciate not overcomplicating the narrative, allowing for an entirely new story to form from the still life or figurative work. I like to play with the tension and harmony between objects and subjects to bring that emotion to life. My paintings are often done in a flat style and experiment with a range of oil colors to explore depth and contrast as opposed to relying primarily on values and shadow with color being secondary to express depth. I continue to build on the relationship between objects and their setting with various brushes and brushstrokes to evoke differences as well as similarities. The painting experience becomes less about the desire to express light in the work and more a direct expression of the moment.”