John HolyField
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Born and raised in Clarksburg, West
Virginia, John Holyfield was orphaned and reared by his
grandmothers. Early in childhood, his interest in art
was evident. Encouraged by teachers, family and friends,
he studied art throughout school and went on to Howard
University and the university of D.C. to major in graphic
design. John's interests, however, soon switched to the
finer arts. Realizing the appeal of his works, he entered
the art market and has become a leading African-American
artist.
John's work has a strong southern folksy feel, capturing
the essence of rural life. John paints with the maturity
of a much older artist through the use of images that
seem from an era past, yet with timeless messages.
John's main themes are family, spirituality, and culture.
For much of the subject matter, he draws from his family
members, childhood memories
and stories from his grandmothers.
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His
grandmothers are his greatest inspirations; which explains
the repetition of women
in his works. Growing up a Baptist, he was captivated by the
church and often depicts church scenes and images dealing with
spirituality. Most memorable were the choir and the music;
which are also repeated themes. John sensed, early on, that
being black was something unique and special. he noticed that
aspects such as music, spirituality, heritage, ways and traditions
set his race apart from others. and he felt compelled to capture
this experience, visually, on canvas. Such
artists as Ernie Barnes, Norman Rockwell, and Frederic
Leighton inspire John's style. Like Barnes, his compositions
are full fo movement and his characters elongated and fluid.
Most of his paintings, at a glance, tell a story or create
a scenario. This style of visual story-telling is similar
to Rockwell. John's dramatic use of light and shadows within
his images is a direct influence of Leighton.
Browse
and enjoy the great African American Art work from one
of Today's most collected African American Artists, John
Holyfield.
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