JOHN BARTON

John Barton was born December 7, 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri. John’s father was a welder and part-time lay mister and he drew a bit himself. His mother led a very disturbed life and died at forty-five of acute alcoholism. Because of his parents’ problems, John experienced a very tough and deprived upbringing. John always liked to draw, especially at school. At age 14, he ran away from home and quit school. At age 17, John enlisted on the Marines. He painted pictures of his friends at the time. At 23, he married and had 5 children, one of whom died. He divorced several times, remarried several times and always continued to paint. His artwork was never appreciated until later in life, and in fact, he destroyed a lot of his paintings because he thought they were not valuable financially. Even though he had no feedback or enthusiasm from the art world, he always believed that his art had its own unique worth. "My paintings grew out of my experiences, thoughts, feelings. I'm 60 years old and I've wondered what all this means. Needless to say, it's part of me. I've been an artist 'on the outside' maybe all my life - self-taught, if that's possible."

John Barton holding his painting. April 2010.

In August 2002, John called Laurie Carmody of Galerie Bonheur to ask her opinion of his artwork. Laurie saw the work and was immediately taken aback, impressed and enthusiastic about the obvious talent and deep message from this unknown artist who only lived 15 minutes from her home. John says of this meeting: "Since getting in touch with [Laurie], I've gained or regained some enthusiasm. The last two years I had almost given up and found it extremely difficult to continue my artistic work. Now I'm at it again- some new things completed, some in process, others in my mind, heart, notes." John's new work is richly profound, with messages both political and spiritual, sometimes tinged with pain. He is not doing art to 'please' or to decorate a home; he creates as a response to his own life experience. In this sense, he is a true 'Outsider Artist', having been painting in isolation for almost all of his life. His paintings are remarkably fertile. Many of the most important works reflect Biblical passages relating to the Revelations, Heaven, Hell, the Resurrection, the Ascension, etc. His painting technique is striking and expressive. Emotive faces are rendered with an astonishing level of energy and skill, with agitated, seemingly effortless brush strokes that are immediately alluring. John is able to transport viewers into a meditative space, communicating his message with proficiency, without sacrificing sensitivity. Galerie Bonheur is the agent for John Barton's work. He continues to paint everyday at his home/studio in Illinois and has retired from his jobs to pursue his artwork full-time. He says he will never run out of inspiration for his artwork. Ideas and images come to his at night in his dreams and sometimes wake him from sleep. John Barton is a talented artist whose mind is always creative and whose intellectual outpour is non-stop. His artwork is expressive, emotionally charged, imaginative and full of powerful messages. He has many styles and does not always paint in the same manner; in fact his canvases sometimes include collage effects with the application of discarded materials such as miniature toys, or of various kinds of paint and varnish, with the medium always being symbolic in its purpose. John Barton's work will surprise, tantalize and shock. He is a visionary in the truest sense of the word: his visions become real in the form of paint and canvas. His message is clear: watch me and pay attention! I want to show you, the viewer, what is happening, has happened and can happen in the world! This Outsider Artist deserves our notice and awareness. John Barton was recently included in the 2009 Summer issue of Folk Art Messenger in an article by Susan Fadem. Click here to read the article   *click image for larger view

	Dream 16 x 20 inches oil on plexi glass $650		Reflection 16 x 20 inches oil on glass $650
	Beginnings oil on masonite 11 x 14 inches $550		Four Seasons 30 x 40 inches oil on plexi glass $2,500
	Self-Portrait 22 x 28inches oil $2,000		Marbles 11 x 14 inches oil on masonite $550
	Meditation 8 x 10 inches oil on glass $275		Women on The Move 8 x 10 inches oil on glass $275
	All You Can Swallow oil on masonite 24 x 42 inches $950		Dancing With Trees painting on glass 18 x 20 inches $650
	Women on The Move painting on glass 10.5 x 12.5 inches was: $350 SALE price: $250		The Four Seasons of Life painting on glass 21 x 27 inches SOLD
	Flowering Life painting on glass 13.5 x 13.5 inches SOLD		Tree of Life painting on glass 18 x 24 inches SOLD
	Women on The Move painting on glass 11 x 13.5 inches SOLD		First Kiss oil on canvas 16 x 20 inches *inquire for price
	The Ten Commandments oil on canvas 16 x 24 inches $750		Memories Fom Afar oil on masonite 20 x 24 inches *inquire for price
	The Immigrants oil on canvas 24 x 30 inches $1,200		Who Am I oil on masonite 22 x 28 inches $950
	666 oil on canvas 45 x 45 inches NFS: private collection		The Fleeting Years oil on canvas 33 x 27 inches $1,500
	Greed oil on canvas 16 x 20 inches NFS: private collection		Eyes But Cannot See oil on masonite 22 x 28 inches SOLD
	Death of Love oil on canvas 21 x 25 inches SOLD		We Walk Down Memory Lane, When Love Was Grand, You Held My Hand oil on masonite 19.5 x 15.5 inches $495
	In Love's Grandeur oil on masonite 15.5 x 19.5 inches SOLD		Reunion oil on canvas 24 x 18 inches SOLD
	Attraction oil on canvas 48 x 24 inches $1,200		Life Is A Stage oil on canvas 12 x 24 inches $750
	Mid-Life Crisis oil on canvas 24 x 24 inches $650		Women on Move oil on masonite 31.5 x 25.5 inches $495
	Mother and Child oil on masonite 20 x 24 inches $575		Wisdom on The Water oil on canvas 16 x 20 inches $650
	Monastery oil on canvas 20 x 24 inches $650		Beauty in Pain oil on masonite 16 x 20 inches SOLD
	Woman in Thought oil on masonite 16 x 20 inches SOLD		The Artist oil on masonite 30 x 36 inches $4,500
	Give Me Equality oil on masonite 22 x 27 inches $1,850		Wounded Souls oil on masonite 48 x 36 inches *inquire for price

ART INSIDE AND OUT Regional Arts Commission St Louis March 6 - April 12, 2009   Curator’s Statement, by Laurie Carmody Ahner, Galerie Bonheur An Insider Artist, An Outsider Artist; one Trained and one Untrained, Intellectual and Soul-Searching: ART from the Mind and the Heart. What comparisons can one make when viewing the paintings of Phillip Hampton and John Barton, which hang in the same room here at the Regional Arts Commission? On the surface it would appear that their works have little in common. Let’s explore further to find some wonderful commonalities, as well as some obvious differences. Hampton is a trained artist who attended the Kansas City Art Institute, obtaining both his BFA and MFA degrees. He taught studio art at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville for 21 years. During his career Hampton has been given high praise and support for his creative output, both by scholars, museums and the art world at large. This enthusiasm and feedback has resulted in many sales of his work to collectors and institutions, including gifts of his pieces to the St Louis Art Museum. As an “Insider”, this trained artist has contributed much to the world of art, and has inspired many. Hampton’s work is mostly abstract, focusing on components of color, composition and motion and the interactions of these components. Barton grew up not far from Hampton, in the Alton, Illinois area. After a rough upbringing and a challenging home-life, John ran away from home at age 14, quit school, and joined the Marines at age 17. He liked to draw from an early age and with no influence or training John painted continuously in isolation. His artwork was not “accepted” by the art world or society, and until 2002 John had no feedback or enthusiasm for his work from others. At that time, I began to represent John’s work in Galerie Bonheur, entering it into exhibitions and shows. Finally the talent and passionate expressions of John Barton were appreciated and collected by Outsider Art Collectors from around the globe. Barton is a true Outsider, an Untrained, Self-Taught artist, who has always painted and worked on his own with little support or sway. His work is figurative and expressionistic, and his subject matter most often contains a message or testimonial written in his own hand. So what are the common attributes of these two talents? Both artists are successful without being a Damien Hirst type of celebrity. Both drew my attention immediately upon viewing their artwork many years ago. Common characteristics include: 1. an innovative and experimental approach 2. the use of a variety of materials, artistic methods and mixed media 3. a consistent, well thought out sense of balance and composition 4. a heavily contemplated and analytical method 5. a pioneering initiative and a spirited and daring attitude 6. a resulting work of art which is full of energy, emotion and passion 7. a perceptive and keen awareness of the human spirit Phillip Hampton’s abstract patterns and brilliant colors virtually dance off the walls. His paintings resonate with dazzling and delightful thoughts, emotions and reactions. It is a pleasure to be in their presence. The visual statements create a sense of wonder and joy in the viewer, confirming the beauty, variety and possibility of his glorious world of art. Hampton persists in painting to further his discoveries and more clearly define his role in the world of art. John Barton’s paintings draw out strong emotional responses in the viewer as well. It is obvious from the start that his artistic output is coming from a deep place inside: a place full of pain and sorrow from distressed memories of grief stricken life experiences. Barton is a classic Outsider Artist who reaches profoundly into his soul to express his most personal dreams, thoughts, ideas, imaginations and reactions to life and his world. From that place he paints his inner vision. One cannot help but empathize with this unfettered bearing of the soul. This exhibition of ART INSIDE and OUT celebrates the incredible abilities and contributions of two very unique and different artists. Their prolific output of talent grew from very diverse experiences here in the regional area. We the viewers are so fortunate to benefit from these amazing talents in our midst! Laurie Carmody Ahner, March 2009