| John Guernsey |
| Mu - Subliminal Expression of the No Mind |
| June 6 - July 2, 2008
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John Guernsey "Swoop" 2008 |
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"Man is a thinking reed but his great works are done when he is not calculating and thinking." - Teitaro Suzuki (1870 - 1966). |
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Mu (無), a Japanese/Chinese word for nothing, is said to be a gateway to Zen. It's a state of mind that transcends the perceived distinction between self and the rest of the world. In this state, the mind becomes clear as a mirror, the body merges with the surroundings, thoughts and movements become spontaneous and natural. In this state of mind, an artist no longer creates art as a separate entity; the artist becomes his/her art, which in turn reflects perfectly upon the artist. Santa Fe artist John Guernsey, a life-long Zen practitioner, has been seeking this state of mind in his paintings. Guernsey developed an interest in painting early (His mother and grandfather were both painters). He studied painting at Alfred University and later at the Art Students’ League. But it was a Chinese sumi-e show in a New York City museum that sparked his interest in Chinese and Japanese sumi-e and calligraphy, particularly Zenga, a form of brush painting practised by Zen Monks. This, along with his Zen practice, formed his desire to create paintings that are spontaneous, alive, and combine elements from Eastern and Western traditions. Unlike traditional sumi-e painters who apply ink with a variety of Oriental brushes, Guernsey paints with oil, using only a simple palette knife. He recalled how he developed his style. He used to paint in a representational style, he would often scrape off the palette with a knife and swipe the colors onto a piece of newspaper. He was struck by the unexpected beauty of the intermingled colors resulted from his casual hand movements. That is how he wanted to paint! He quickly learned that it was very difficult to deliberately create paintings with such spontaneity. After many experiments, he settled on the simplest tools, oil colors, pigments, a palette knife and no brushes. However, the most important ingredients are not the tools. As in Japanese Zen painting, the mindset of the painter is of the utmost importance in order to express the ineffable in a direct and uninhibited manner. Guernsey prepares for each painting session by emptying his mind through Zazen meditation. Then, in a burst of energy, he would apply colors onto paper with a single or a few strokes of a palette knife. The aim is to project himself in an instant onto the medium, with minimal conscious thoughts and deliberate thinking. He works with either watercolor paper or Japanese paper. The former accentuates impact and strength. The translucent nature of Japanese paper yields delicate nuance uncommon for this medium. With this approach, the creation of each painting is fresh, vibrant, and immediate. The current exhibition, Mu - Subliminal Expression of the No Mind, features 19 pieces of unusually candid and expressive oil-on-Japanese-paper work that embodies the artist's continued artistic and spiritual journey. |
Click on the images to view selected paintings.
To order call 505-988-8072, see Inquiry/Order
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John Guernsey "Mushin" 2008 18" x 10" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 24" x 16.25" black wood frame Sold
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John Guernsey "Turbid" 2008 18" x 10" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 24" x 16.25" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Glissando" 2008 11" x 40" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green silk-covered mat 17.5" x 48" black wood frame
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Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green silk-covered mat 56" x 26" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Surge" 2008 48" x 18" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green silk-covered mat 56" x 26" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Pop" 2008 12" x 5" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 16" x 10" black wood frame Sold
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John Guernsey "Whip" 2008 11" x 33" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green silk-covered mat 17.5" x 39.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Seduce" 2008 36" x 18" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on black silk-covered mat 42.5" x 24.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Frisk" 2008 35" x 18" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green silk-covered mat 42.5" x 24.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Scatter" 2008 40" x 18" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on charcoal silk-covered mat 46" x 24.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Zigzag" 2008 40" x 18" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on charcoal silk-covered mat 46" x 24.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Swoop" 2008 11" x 42" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on charcoal silk-covered mat 17.5" x 48" black wood frame Sold
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John Guernsey "Rollercoaster" 2008 24" x 18" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 33" x 24.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Flutter" 2008 26.5" x 18" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 33" x 24.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Cling" 2008 21.5" x 11" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 28" x 17" black wood frame Sold
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John Guernsey "Up & Over" 2008 18" x 11" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 24" x 16.25" black wood frame Sold
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John Guernsey "Seesaw" 2008 11" x 33" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on black silk-covered mat 17.5" x 39" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Tumble" 2008 33" x 11" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 39.5" x 17.5" black wood frame
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John Guernsey "Tango" 2008 32.5" x 11" Oil on Japanese paper, float-mounted on dark green rag mat 39.5" x 17.5" black wood frame
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