You just paint it, don’t you? Oh, I didn’t mean that, I was just messing around in Photoshop before I started, I just had a little idea of what I was going to do, and then I just started painting, didn’t I? It’s easy to start a painting, it all happens in a picture.”

That’s part of the reason we had this interview when our trip to New York ended up being a really stressful one for us. I’d had a lot of problems with my eyes the day after we left Toronto, but by the next morning I was actually pretty rested, and ready to take on the task that was so far beyond my control. (For more on all of the issues that led to my not showing up, see “Stupid, Stale and Stoner”, our previous installment.)

“It’s easy to be in a creative frame of mind,” said John, “because you are so focused on what to do, but it can also be difficult to be in a creative frame of mind.”

I’ll be honest, there were times when I was pretty stoned at the end of it. But I was also in New York and in such an incredible physical and mental place that I was able to push through it.

“In a way, the best time to start painting I think is when you get really good at something, if you’re talented at it, and it’s something that you’d really like to do, and are excited and excited to do it and then you can just start painting.

“I think my biggest thing was being creative and also being in a state of euphoria because there are so many people out there that are so passionate about painting. I think the only reason that I’m still doing this is because I’m in this really good place and it’s in this beautiful place, so that it’s just been easy. I mean, there’s been this crazy period of time where I haven’t had a full-time job and it feels really good to have these other options that I can just pick up and just leave where I’m at for a while and see what the other options are.”

For more information about the Artist-in-Residence program at the Van Gogh Museum, check out www.vangoghmuseum.org.

For more information on The Toronto Art Gallery of Ontario, visit: www.torontoartgallery.org.

The exhibition of works from this artist

online art classes for high schoolers, online summer art courses for high school students, free online art classes for beginners, online art history courses for high school students, online art lessons painting