Thirty-four years ago, I bought my first set of oil paints and took
a few painting lessons from Aunt Barbara, my mom's sister. The small
town of Twin Falls, Idaho where I was born and raised is not exactly
the art capital of the world. My first recollections of viewing
paintings were at the art building of the Twin Falls County Fair each
fall.
From those humble beginnings in
art, I have been blessed to grow and progress, and for the past 25
years I have supported my wife and family of nine children solely from
the sales of my oil paintings through galleries across the U.S.
To
me, simplicty is elegance. I paint exclusively in oils, using two
brushes and seven colors plus white. My
representational/impressionistic paintings are done on hand-made custom
contempory box canvases with no frames, which have become a trademark.
I work on one painting at a time, as quickly as possible, so that I'm
always working wet oil into wet oil paint. Most of my work is done
in-studio using my own photographs of landscapes, gardens, clouds, and
deserts I have visited as references.
I
enjoy creating large artworks, many of which are 40”x50” and larger. My
largest single panel painting so far is a 60” x 144” commission of the
Boulder Mountains of Central Idaho for Key Bank in Boise, Idaho. My
largest multi-panel work is a 75”x125” five-panel wildflower garden.
In
a world that seems increasingly complex and unsettled, I strive through
my paintings to convey grace, elegance, quality and beauty.
EDUCATION
John Horejs began painting in 1973. His art education has been
acquired
through self-directed, independent study. He has studied with Sergei
Bongart, Michael Lynch, Jim Wilcox, and Olaf Moller.
STYLE
John works exclusively in oils. His style is a blend of realism and
impressionism. He uses many of the techniques of the impressionists,
but applies them in a more controlled, realistic manner. Favorite
subject matters include wildflowers and gardens, western mountain and
desert landscapes, and skyscapes.
All Horejs paintings are done on gallery-wrapped box canvases that
are
designed to be hung without frames. (They may, of course, be
restretched and framed, or framed in deep, shadow-box frame moldings to
meet the needs of the collector.)
John’s palette consists of only seven colors and white. From these
basic hues he creates a kaleidoscope of rich, wonderful color that has
become his trademark over the years.
FAMILY
John and his wife, Elaine, have been married since 1973. They are
parents of nine children, and grandparents of fourteen (so far).
EXHIBITIONS AND ACQUISITIONS
John Horejs paintings have been exhibited in national juried shows
including the 1983 and 1985 Annual National April Salon,
Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah.
In August, 2007, John's landscape “Glory of Autumn” was aquired by
the
University of Montana Museum of Fine Art for the University's permanent
collection.
CORPORATE AND PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
University of Montana Missoula, Montana
Idaho State University Pocatello, Idaho
University of Portland Hospital Portland, Oregon
Baird, Williams, and Greer, L.L.P. Phoenix, Arizona
St. Lukes Medical Center Boise, Idaho
Boise Cascade Corporation Boise, Idaho
Morrison-Knudsen Boise, Idaho
Key Bank Boise, Idaho
Wells Fargo Bank Boise, Idaho
Wells Fargo Bank Seattle, Washington
Bonneville Power Administration Portland, Oregon
Holden, Kidwell, Hahn, and Crapo Idaho Falls, Idaho
Targun Plastics Chicago, Illinois
Magic Valley Regional Medical Center Twin Falls, Idaho
Homes, Hurley, Bryant, Lovlien, & Lynch Bend, Oregon
Elk’s Rehabilitation Hospital Boise, Idaho
McDonald’s Corporation Sarasota, Florida
Leonardo Lanati Furs Milan, Italy
PRIVATE COLLECTORS INCLUDE
U.S. Secretary of the Interior, and former Idaho Governor Dirk
Kempthorn
Paul Allen (Microsoft, Space Plane)
John McCaw (McCaw Communications)
Steve Wynn (Las Vegas Resort Developer)
Harry Merlo (Louisiana Pacific Lumber)
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Simplot (Simplot Idaho Potatoes)
Kirk and Toby Guthrie (Kirk Guthrie Interiors, Linkasink, Taybol)
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