Jasper Johns - An American Pop Artist

Contemporary American pop artist Jasper Johns was born in 1930 in Augusta, Georgia. Raised in South Carolina, from a young age Jasper Johns wanted to be an artist. After attending three semesters at the University of South Carolina, he headed for New York in 1948 to attend the Parsons School of Design, where he attended for one semester before enrolling in the army and subsequently serving for two years during the Korean War. Johns' friendship with artist Robert Rauschenberg was an important influence in his artistic career. His other friends of the time included composer John Cage and choreographer Merce Cunningham.

Johns' early work of the 1950s displays a new style which contributed to many further art movements including Conceptual, Minimal, and Pop art. This new style brought out by Johns was said to oppose the expressionistic abstraction of a generation earlier. The characteristic work of this period is the "Flag" (1954-55) depicting the American Stars and Stripes flag. The technique employed for this work was the dripping encaustic paint on a collage made from commonly found materials such as newspaper. This was followed by "White Flag" (1955) which is a large monochrome version of the previous work. These were followed by plenty of other versions of the initial flag painting. These include the oil on paper work, "Flag" (1957) and "Three Flags" (1958) that features three canvases superimposed on one another in reverse perspective.

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The choice of the American flag represents "things the mind already knows," according to Jasper Johns. Other familiar objects employed in Johns' paintings include stenciled numbers, targets, and beer cans. Another suggestion made for the choice of the American flag has been the autobiographical element, as Jasper Johns was named after Sergeant William Jasper who raised the flag during the Revolutionary War. However, the significance of the flag is still open to reinterpretation with yet another suggestion made that the flag, being a flat object, represents the relative shallowness of modernist art.

Other characteristic examples of John's work include "Map" (1962), "Numbers", "False Start" (1959), "Study for Skin" (1962), "Figure Five" (1963-64), "Painting with Two Balls" (1960) and "Seasons" (1986).

The '70s were characterized by more monotone works initiated by the prints Johns created to accompany writer Samuel Beckett's text, "Fizzles". The '80s witnessed further change in his paintings, with autobiographical elements appearing, and more sentiments being displayed as opposed to his earlier view that he was unconcerned with emotions.

Johns' works have commanded great prices. "False Start" was purchased by Anne and Kenneth Griffin, private collectors, in 2006 for  million. It's the highest price paid for a painting by a living artist.

Jasper Johns remains one of the foremost figures in American pop art. His focus on popular imagery, and his experiments that push the envelope of painting, sculpture and printmaking set the standards for future experimental artists. The fact that his paintings are part of almost any major collection of a museum highlights his influence and importance in the contemporary art scene. Though he is often classified as a Pop artist, his work displays characteristic of Neo-Dadaism.

Jasper Johns - An American Pop Artist

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Jasper Johns - An Artist of the Modern Era

American contemporary artist, Jasper Johns, Jr., was born on May 15, 1930, in Augusta, Georgia. He grew up in Allendale, South Carolina. A photographer and printmaker by profession, Jasper Johns is influenced by Abstract Expressionism, Neo-Dadaism, and Pop Art. Even as a child, the painter was clear in his mind that he would grow up to be an artist.

The artist studied at the University of South Carolina from 1947-48. Jasper then moved to New York in 1948, where he attended the Parsons School of Design. Here, he met the likes of Robert Rauschenberg, an artist, Merce Cunningham, a choreographer, and John Cage, a composer, with whom Jasper had very fruitful and satisfying relationships. During the Korean War, the artist had a brief stint in the army too, and he was based in Sendai, Japan, between 1952 and 1953. Jasper Johns' most famous artistic work was titled, "Flag (1954-1955)." He had achieved fame and recognition in his field because he was not scared of experimenting with different art movements, such as Pop, Minimal, and Conceptual. In fact, his works were more influenced by Pop Art, as they were usually themed around the images of the icons of popular cultures and activities. After Flag, Jasper worked on innumerable prints and the drawings of flags. These included the oil on paper Flag (1957) and the Three Flags (1958).

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Unlike other artists who believed in spontaneity, Johns' work was done with precision and a superb control, where he exactly knew what he wanted his work to look like. The artist relied on painting popular icons and images, which had left an indelible impression on his mind. In 1958, Jasper Johns had his first solo exhibition at the Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. He won the International Prize for his picture "The Grey Number." In 1960, he was drawn to working with lithographs. His first large "Map" picture was done in 1961. Jasper's retrospective exhibitions include the one given at the Jewish Museum in 1964 and at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1965.

In 1967, Jasper Johns painted "Harlem Light." He also did an illustration of Frank O'Hara's book "In Memory of my Feeling." He then collaborated with John Cage and Merce Cunningham, as an artistic advisor of their dance company until 1972. Other famous pieces of work by Jasper Johns include "False Start (1959)," "Study for Skin (1962)," "Figure Five (1963-64)," and "Seasons (1986)." In 1988, Jasper Johns won the Grand Prix at the Venice Biennale. In 2008, a retrospective exhibition of his works, spanning over a period of ten years was held at the Matthew Marks Gallery. Johns' painting "False Start" was sold at a whopping price of million, making it the most expensive painting by an artist who is still alive. Jasper lives in Sharon, Connecticut at present.

Jasper Johns - An Artist of the Modern Era

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Rodney White - America's Hottest Artist - Move Over Andy Warhol

If you have ever watched The ABC sitcom "Freddie" and ABC's "Extreme Makeover Home Edition", you may have already viewed some of Rodney White's phenomenal art pieces. Once in a while something so unique, eye-catching and visually pleasing comes along that it just really grabs you. This is the case with the winning combination of color, rustic style, and timely messages that Rodney White has created.

One critic writes of Rodney White's work, "The most amazing aspect of this work is that it isn't created on a computer but on a canvas instead. I'm amazed by these wonderful typographical beauties. The retro feeling, grunch effect and nice color combinations make them really stand out. Most of his work contains meaningful messages. Rodney also uses different materials and techniques, mainly acrylic. Most of his paintings are on wood but some are on metallic and there is even one on a faux brick panel."

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This Georgian artist, now a New Yorker residing in Brooklyn, has an ever-growing audience buying and collecting his works. His popularity soared after his national exposure on television, and the past two years have been a turning point for this self-taught artist who hails from Augusta, Georgia.

Rodney White was born in Augusta in 1976. He lived in Atlanta from 1997-2005, and then made the move to Brooklyn, New York where he works and lives. During his time in Atlanta, Rodney did attend a technical institute to study visual communications in 1999. In 2003, he had his first solo exhibition. His "Solo Exhibitions" include the following: 2005 "Future Becomings" Claret Arts: Atlanta, Georgia; 2004 "Retro Notions" Claret Arts: Atlanta, Georgia; 2004 "Recent works" Octane: Atlanta, Georgia; and 2003 " Love is..." Open Artist Studio: Atlanta, Georgia.

Since 2004 Rodney White has also accumulated quite a list of credits for "Group Exhibitions" where his work has been admired. These include the following:
2006 "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" Anchorage Museum of History and Art: Anchorage, Alaska; 2006 "Two Person Show: Recent Works" Tag Art Gallery: Nashville, Tennessee; 2005 "Think Small Exhibition" Art 6 Gallery: Richmond, VA; 2005 Affordable Art Fair: Clapham Art Gallery (London, UK) New York, NY; 2005 "Open Gallery Show" E. Weber Gallery: Atlanta, Georgia; 2005 Decatur Arts Walk: Decatur, Georgia; 2005 Art Expo New York; 2004 Spin & Gin Fund-raiser: Atlanta, Georgia; 2004 Decatur Arts Walk: Decatur, Georgia; 2004 "Group Show: Recent Works" Iridium Gallery: Roswell, Georgia; 2004 "Open Gallery Show" Iridium Gallery: Roswell, Georgia; and 2004 "Roswell Art Walk" Taylor Kinzel Gallery: Roswell, Georgia.

Besides his group and solo exhibits, Rodney White's exposure took on national proportions with the following credits: 2005 Art World News article, April issue; 2005 Extreme Makeover Home Edition, 4 paints chosen to complete a new home; 2005 "Freddie" sitcom on ABC Rodney White image chosen for part of the permanent set design; 2005 article in Access Atlanta Exhibition Review; 2006 Extreme Makeover Home Edition, 9 pieces chosen to complete a new home; and 2006 TBS's Movie and a Makeover, original art commission for a room design.

What does Rodney think about his exposure on network TV? "There seems to be some gravitational pull between my work and the ABC network. My work was chosen to appear on Extreme Makeover Home Edition with the Crawford Smith Family. A whopping 9 pieces were hanging in the home, AND you could actually see them on television. It was a total surprise to me. My mom called while I was in the middle of painting to tell me and almost immediately after the images were shown my phones start ringing off the hook with calls from friends and family saying that they saw it and people congratulating me. It was a big deal the first time and big deal again. What was seen on the show were canvas transfers of my paintings."

If you ask Rodney what inspires him, he would say, "Everything. I see things everywhere and everyday that gives me some idea for my pieces. I love to visit flea markets and antique markets. I notice the natural aging of things around us. Billboard signs, buildings, packages, and aging paper catch my attention. I seek to replicate the rusting and decaying look of things I see."

Where did his desire to be an artist all begin? He claims that he has dabbled in art since his pre-kindergarten days. He tells the story of rushing through his class work so that he could be the first one back to the scrap paper box in the classroom. In fact, he admits that he would fill the blank pages in the front and back of encyclopedias because he thought, "Those sheets were put there for me."

When Rodney further explains his view on his own work, he shares his fascination with poetry, typography, advertising design and vintage signs. He says that by trying to encourage others to notice those things that he is, "learning, teaching, and inspiring." In describing his work and its connection to the past, he says, "The past has always been something that I've felt we could/should learn from, and advertising has always been a reflection of the desires and societal norms that are driven into the hearts and minds of consumers. Well...what if those driven desires became more positively influential on our minds and inner beings? Thus, giving us something to take into the way we live our lives, and approach the world around us."

Rodney has a love for the deterioration of things which includes objects and surfaces. He notices how things have developed and aged. He takes note of antique labels, old books and vintage posters which have that "experienced look." Because he believes that art will be around a long time, he feels the best way to leave messages behind is through art.

Rodney also says that he gets inspiration from music, other artists, poets, and literature. He enjoys music of all kinds and says, "I'm working on a slight taste for country. And that doesn't seem to be working out. It is much harder than I thought." Other artists that he admires are: Sabrina Ward Harrison, Rik Catlow, Anja Kroenke, Tim Marrs, and Ashley Wood. Among the poets he reads are Saul Williams and Sabrina Ward Harrison.

When speaking of his friends, Rodney says, "A lot of my paintings come from what I write often in my Journal/Idea books. A lot of times my friends and the people I meet say the most brilliant things and they sometimes never mean them the way I hear them. Lucky me I guess."

When asked about his interests, Rodney says, "I love furniture and dreaming up living spaces. Décor stuff. Movies, collecting and listening 2 music. Books (Angels, Aliens, Theology) and Writing. Learning to enjoy the small things about life - like walking in the sand barefoot. Riding my bike around the city. Daily getaways listening to my iPod. (I tend to really visit new places when I do this). Talking and making...connections with people. Learning about people and their stories. Everybody has them - not everybody has someone that wants to listen to them & DREAMING...Always Dreaming."

Rodney White - America's Hottest Artist - Move Over Andy Warhol

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