John Gibson
Biography
For over forty years, John Gibson has focused exclusively on the shape of the ball, using it as a tool for exploring the space of painting. Often decorated with a minimal pattern to emphasize its illusory curvature in space, he uses his subject to comment on the elusive goal of depicting life in a way that captures and approximates, but never quite aligns with, three-dimensional reality. The tension between flat and dimensional space has always been central to painting; in a sense, the history of painting is the story of its engagement with this concept, from the invention of perspective to the breakthrough of cubism, which fused the two, to the flattening of the picture plane in modern abstract painting. Gibson’s patterned spheres allude to this history while at the same time retaining their integrity as basic objects—an interplay of opposing forces: flatness and roundness, lightness and darkness, simplicity and complexity.
Sue Miller, best-selling American novelist and owner of a Gibson painting, noted that “there’s an enormous tension, in this seemingly light-hearted painting, and the mind doesn’t tire of trying to work through it somehow, revising it endlessly, imaginatively, attempting to resolve the conundrum John has created—al the while relishing the close observation which that attempt demands.” The resulting paintings seem to contain a powerful kind of potential energy, the spheres on the verge of rolling out of the composition and into reality. At the same time, they’re silent and still, restrained by the materiality of paint, the flatness of canvas. With subtly rich colors and finely balanced compositions, Gibson’s paintings project intelligence, grace, and a hint of mystery.
Born
1958 Northampton, MA.
Education
1982 Yale University, New Haven, CT., MFA.
1980 Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI., BFA.
Teaching
1996-Present Drawing and Painting, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
1992-1998 Painting, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2021 William Havu Gallery, Denver, CO
2020 Online Exhibition, Caldwell Snyder Gallery
2018 Pieces, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA.
2016 The Space In Between, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2014 Ledges, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA.
Artist Talk, Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Brattleboro, VT.
Opposing Forces, Brattleboro Museum of Art, Brattleboro,VT.
2013 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA.
2012 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2011 Black, Gerald Peters Gallery, CA.
2009 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2008 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA .
2007 Muse Gallery, Jackson, WY.
2006 Gerald Peters Gallery (watercolors), New York, NY.
Gerald Peters Gallery, Sante Fe, NM.
2005 Miller, Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
2004 Hampshire College, Amherst, MA.
Gerald Peters Gallery, New York, NY.
2003 Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
2002 Gerald Peters Gallery, New York, NY.
2001 Miller Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
Hodges Taylor Gallery, Charlotte NC.
Wendy Evans Fine Art, New York, NY.
2000 Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
1999 Painting the Improbable, FMCC, Johnstown, NY.
1998 Wendy Evans Fine Art, New York, NY.
1997 Miller Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
1996 Fine Arts Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
Rosen Gallery, Paris, France.
1995 Perspective Fine Art, New York, NY.
Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
1994 Miller Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
Perspective Fine Art, New York, NY.
1990 Allan Stone Gallery, New York, NY.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021 1969 Gallery, NYC
2019 Art Palm Springs, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
Art Market San Francisco, Caldwell Snyder Gallery
2018 35th Anniversary Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2018 LA Art Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Art Market San Francisco, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, SF, CA.
2016 Miami Context, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Miami, FL.
2015 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
Miami Context, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Miami, FL.
Art Market SF, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2014 Art Southampton, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Southampton,NY.
2013 LA Art Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Los Angelos, CA.
2011 LA Art Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Los Angelos, CA.
SF Fine Art Fair, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2010 Fine Art Asia, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Hong Kong, China.
Selected Public Collections
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. • Museum at the Rhode Island School of Design, New Haven, CT. • Ackland Museum Chapel Hill, NC. • University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. • Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, MA.
Press
PRESS
Selected Artworks
Born
1958 Northampton, MA.
Education
1982 Yale University, New Haven, CT., MFA.
1980 Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI., BFA.
Teaching
1996-Present Drawing and Painting, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
1992-1998 Painting, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2021 William Havu Gallery, Denver, CO
2020 Online Exhibition, Caldwell Snyder Gallery
2018 Pieces, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA.
2016 The Space In Between, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2014 Ledges, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA.
Artist Talk, Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Brattleboro, VT.
Opposing Forces, Brattleboro Museum of Art, Brattleboro,VT.
2013 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA.
2012 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2011 Black, Gerald Peters Gallery, CA.
2009 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2008 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA .
2007 Muse Gallery, Jackson, WY.
2006 Gerald Peters Gallery (watercolors), New York, NY.
Gerald Peters Gallery, Sante Fe, NM.
2005 Miller, Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
2004 Hampshire College, Amherst, MA.
Gerald Peters Gallery, New York, NY.
2003 Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
2002 Gerald Peters Gallery, New York, NY.
2001 Miller Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
Hodges Taylor Gallery, Charlotte NC.
Wendy Evans Fine Art, New York, NY.
2000 Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
1999 Painting the Improbable, FMCC, Johnstown, NY.
1998 Wendy Evans Fine Art, New York, NY.
1997 Miller Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
1996 Fine Arts Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
Rosen Gallery, Paris, France.
1995 Perspective Fine Art, New York, NY.
Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
1994 Miller Block Gallery, Boston, MA.
Perspective Fine Art, New York, NY.
1990 Allan Stone Gallery, New York, NY.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021 1969 Gallery, NYC
2019 Art Palm Springs, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
Art Market San Francisco, Caldwell Snyder Gallery
2018 35th Anniversary Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2018 LA Art Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Art Market San Francisco, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, SF, CA.
2016 Miami Context, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Miami, FL.
2015 Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
Miami Context, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Miami, FL.
Art Market SF, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2014 Art Southampton, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Southampton,NY.
2013 LA Art Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Los Angelos, CA.
2011 LA Art Show, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Los Angelos, CA.
SF Fine Art Fair, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2010 Fine Art Asia, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Hong Kong, China.
Selected Public Collections
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. • Museum at the Rhode Island School of Design, New Haven, CT. • Ackland Museum Chapel Hill, NC. • University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. • Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, MA.
For over forty years, John Gibson has focused exclusively on the shape of the ball, using it as a tool for exploring the space of painting. Often decorated with a minimal pattern to emphasize its illusory curvature in space, he uses his subject to comment on the elusive goal of depicting life in a way that captures and approximates, but never quite aligns with, three-dimensional reality. The tension between flat and dimensional space has always been central to painting; in a sense, the history of painting is the story of its engagement with this concept, from the invention of perspective to the breakthrough of cubism, which fused the two, to the flattening of the picture plane in modern abstract painting. Gibson’s patterned spheres allude to this history while at the same time retaining their integrity as basic objects—an interplay of opposing forces: flatness and roundness, lightness and darkness, simplicity and complexity.
Sue Miller, best-selling American novelist and owner of a Gibson painting, noted that “there’s an enormous tension, in this seemingly light-hearted painting, and the mind doesn’t tire of trying to work through it somehow, revising it endlessly, imaginatively, attempting to resolve the conundrum John has created—al the while relishing the close observation which that attempt demands.” The resulting paintings seem to contain a powerful kind of potential energy, the spheres on the verge of rolling out of the composition and into reality. At the same time, they’re silent and still, restrained by the materiality of paint, the flatness of canvas. With subtly rich colors and finely balanced compositions, Gibson’s paintings project intelligence, grace, and a hint of mystery.
Biography
Press
John Gibson
"These artworks provoke my appetite for perception; they make me see and feel more. My paintings are not about a story of balls or about any particular time or place or episode... They assert themselves in different, more formal way. In this respect my work is influenced as much by the minimalist movement of the 60’s and 70’s as it is by the history of still life painting. "