The Ultraviolet Series
The “Color Field Series”
The “Color Field Series” were inspired by the minimalist painters of the late 50’s and early 60’s with the most notable being Mark Rothko and Joseph Albers, also known as color theorist. Reducing down to the simplest approach to the silk screen: only a blank screen was used at first. No paint brush was used, only the squeegee was used. The blending of colors was spontaneous where the squeegee blended the color directly onto the canvas. Later additional smaller blank screens were placed on top of the full color field which became the “Color Fields with Floating Squares”.
Color Field # 6
48 x 120
Similarly, to the theme of the capabilities of visible light preforming differently in different spectrums is how light expresses color values. All colors are bound by their respective wavelengths and because every color reflects light in its own way, this results in the dynamic ranges from lights to darks, tint, saturation, etc. The relationship between individual color wavelengths and their interplay is exactly what this series demonstrates. Selective reflection explains how the effect functions for each relationship conveyed by color because light scatters each visible wavelength. A minor trick of the eye then becomes a certainty for the mind, racing to color fields that simply are not there. Perhaps this characteristic of Spears’s paintings is magic— the call to our own self-deceptions, but it is our attentions that beautifully abide to the tricks of our eyes. Therefore, the arrangement of color harmonies are expressions of a truth which lies in a composition’s particular rendering. The renowned artist, Joseph Albers and his visionary artwork influenced Spears’s inspiration for the “Color field” series".
“Organized Chaos” Series – Universal Patternicity
Everything is a pattern, and therefore, patterns are like maps, maps which our senses use to engage with our comprehension of reality. However, by way of mapping the appearances of the natural world, one may find limitless routes on the path to an unknown destination. Spears’s artwork invites audiences to share in the experience of the potentials offered by an individual’s ability to recognize patterns. His art embraces the complexities of randomness which occurs when our senses fall short in deciphering the “organized” elements of the bigger picture. Simultaneously, this series assists our mind’s inner cartographer by giving us hints along way. Through the creation of simple patterns something entirely unexpected occurs. This phenomenon is known as pareidolia. The word derives from the Greek words pará (παρά, "beside, alongside") and the noun eídōlon (εἴδωλον, "image, form, shape"). Alongside the image and thereby within the image, stems the evocative patternicity as seen in Spear’s visual interpretations. Furthermore, the unpredictability that results from even the smallest variations of these patterns impress an authentic experience of visual wonderment because every drop of the screen changes our understanding of our mental maps—constantly catalyzing a process of defining and redefining each unique component of these art pieces.
About The Installations:
Over the years, John’s work has colored the walls, ceilings, and floors of some the largest and also some of the most challenging environments that any artist could exhibit their work: corporate offices. This notion may not seem to be a very impressive feat; however, almost every American at some time or another has experienced the vaulted atriums and massive reception centers of commercial giants, whether that be a personal workplace, a visit to a medical facility, or a university hall. So, have you wondered why these busy and open floor plan style buildings are so hostile? Perhaps, it is the colors chosen by an interior designer not realizing how they actually appear beneath fluorescent lighting? Or the post-modernist, steely furniture, which is selected as a complement to the architecture and engineering that goes into these kinds of buildings? They can be quite uncomfortable and surely many of us share in memories of waiting rooms that are far from comfortable, let alone pleasant spaces to read the paper. In truth, it is usually a combination of these elements that are problematic. Although, one feature concerning these spaces often is felt, but scarcely is it consciously acknowledged. Of course, we are speaking about sound. The acoustical properties of the aforementioned buildings are rarely considered during their construction, but after completion these structures often echo like icy caves. It would be quite easy to blame the architects of the world for this kind of oversight, but that would not solve the real problem: reverberation time.
John Spears was one of the first artists to recognize the ‘sonic problem’ in these spaces as an opportunity. In an effort to solve the sonic equation, Spears, began applying a sound solution that is equally complex as providing an aesthetic appeal. In fact, this is precisely the approach he uses. His strategy incorporates the beauty of visual arts with the pragmatism of sound dampening materials. This combination of fine art and the science of acoustemology provides a single solution for two unique challenges. It is safe to say that hundreds if not thousands of people are satisfied with the results. So, next time you find yourself walking into your next appointment, take a look around and you might just see a John Spears original. One thing is for certain though you will not be distracted by the sounds of your own footsteps.
See installations in the Gallery
The Collectors
American Hospitality Corporation
Apple Computer
ARCO
Artelonics (Shell Oil)
Bally's Park Place
Bank of America
Berkeley Library, NJ
Bricktown Library, NJ
Bunzyl Corp.
Citibank
Citicorp
Clinton Square
Commodities Corp.
DuPont Corporation
Durkee French/Reichitt & Coleman
Elizabethtown Gas
EBI Medical Products
Faison & Associates
Feld & Co.Fleet Bank
Forbes
Hillier Group
HOK
Holiday Inn
Hollander Group
Hunterdon County Courthouse
IBM
Jackson Cross
Johnson & Johnson
Liberty House
Merck Pharmaceutical
Morris Companies
NationsBank
National Westminster Bank
NeuStar, Inc.
Ocean County Library, NJ
Ortho Pharmaceutical
Playboy, Inc.Podolsky & Associates
Post Perfect
Price Waterhouse
Prudential
Roche Biotech Center
Nabisco
San Jose Museum of Art
Schaeberle Center
Seimens Electronics
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Smith, Kline & Beecham
Standard Brands
Texas Eye Institute
Turner Development
Union Bank
US Health Care
Weingarten Group
Wyeth
Xerox Corporation
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