April 11-May 17
di Rosa Napa
Visionary painter John Simpkins evokes a series of ecstatic dream-states in this series of lush, luminous paintings. Layered with intricate details and symbolic mark-making, often featuring anthropomorphized animals as guides or messengers, the works reflect a deeply personal vision shaped by decades of exploration and reflection.
About the artist
John Simpkins was born in Napa, California on August 17, 1951. He attended local schools, graduating from Napa Valley College in 1971; after a year at University of California, Davis, he tutored with artist/illustrator Earl Thollander from 1972-1975, traveling to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Simpkins lived and painted in Camp Sherman, near the Metolius River in Central Oregon from 1987 to 2000. From 2003 thru 2007 he traveled to China, Tibet, Nepal, Mexico, Thailand and Bali.
A practicing Buddhist, John’s absorption of diverse foreign cultures and religious beliefs has resulted in a body of work that celebrates an inclusive world view, featuring sometimes mysterious juxtapositions. In 2011 he accepted an offer by art patron George R. Stroemple to live and paint in an old schoolhouse in the ghost town of Andrews, Oregon. He spent 10 years there creating large paintings. In 2018 he was invited to exhibit a selection of those paintings at The High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. After a time as resident artist at the Churchill School of Art and Music in Baker City, Oregon, John followed his roots to an historic brick granary in his mother’s home state of Iowa. The granary, built in 1850 is in the Amana Colonies in the village of South Amana. John shares his life with his standard poodle, Chaya.
