2000

1999

1998

1994

1990

1986

1968

1967

1966

Over thirty years a visual artist, John Hansen has successfully combined fine art and graphic design. An award winning painter in 1968, the year he started his career as a graphic designer, he became involved with the conceptual art movement of the late 1960's and early 70's in Seattle, Chicago and New York. Designing publications, corporate identities and packaging during the day, he created and produced conceptual art projects and installations evenings and weekends. Upon starting his own design business in 1980, he decided to spend at least half time creating fine art. In 1988, he left the world of corporate design and committed himself to painting full time. John has taught at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, and The Art Institute of Seattle, where he teaches design, color & composition and computer graphics. His work is represented in public and private collections.
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Working primarily in oil on canvas, his style of abstraction has evolved over the years.The artiist's style has developed from bold yet simple gestural strokes, through more complex compositions during what he calls his "spiritual" phase, into more studied works involving subtle variations in color and light, and less than subtle contrasts in size and brilliance.

At the request of a gallery in San Francisco in the Spring of 2000, John began producing works on paper. He had previously worked in oil, watercolor, gouache and pastel on paper but, thanks to recent advances in the archival quality of digital printmaking (see How Art is Made ) these new works were to be done using digital media.

While his earlier works display his enduring love for color and texture, and more than occassionally involve the phenomenon of the relationship between three elements, his current paintings are more concerned with exploring contrasts of style within style. Using the Euclidian concept of "golden proportions", Hansen divides his images in interesting reductions of space and time. His color inspirations are from nature, primarily the landscape. The effect of contrasting minimalism with expressionist complexity invites meditation and introspection.

Selected Exhibitions

2000

Invitational Exhibit, Art Institute of Seattle

1999

Invitational Exhibit, Art Institute of Seattle

1995

"Stormy Waters", Glasgow, Scotland

Solo show, Galleria, Seattle

1994

Group show, Grover-Thurston, Seattle

"Handshake", Berlin, Germany

1993

Solo show, Louise Matzke Gallery, Mercer Island, WA

Solo show, Hunt-Ellsworth, Seattle

1992

"Verao '92", Galeria Municipal, Montemor-O-Novo, Portugal

"Regency Terrace", inaugural presentation of landmark
residential design project by noted architect Roger Newell,
Mercer Island, WA

Solo show, Jackson Street Gallery, Seattle

Group show, Burnley-Blume Gallery, Seattle

1991

Solo and group shows, J.J.McKenzie Gallery, Seattle

Group show, Wing Luke Asian Museum, Seattle

1990

Group show, J.J.McKenzie Gallery, Seattle

1989

Solo show, Mahlum&Nordfors, Seattle

1988

Group show, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA

Group show, Lightworks Gallery, Seatle

1987

Invitational exhibit, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle

1979

Invitational exhibit, Frye Museum, Seattle

1972

"Spatially Oriented Neural Image Systems", installation,

Governors State University, University Park, Illinois

1970

"New York Free Transit", conceptual documentary,
New York, NY

1969

"Experiments in Art and Technology", colaborative events and installations, Seattle and Bellevue, WA

1968

Inaugural exhibit, Bellevue Arts and Crafts Exhibition,
Bellevue, WA

Selected Awards

1993

Juror's Award, Renton Arts Association, Renton, WA

1988

Best of Show, Anacortes Arts Exhibition, Anacortes, WA

1983

Bronze Award, Outstanding Package Design, National
Association of container Distributors

1978

Drummer Award, Most Memorable Exhibit Design, National Association of Home Builders

1971

Outstanding Educational Publication Design,
Association of College Communicators

1968

First Prize Painting, Bellevue Arts and Crafts Association

Appointments

2000

Juror, Annual Fine Arts Exhibit.
Peninsula Arts Association, Shelton, WA

1993-99

Juror, professional design competition,
Society of Technical Communicators

1996

Juror, software interface design competition,
Society of Technical Communicators

1991

Juror, corporate art exhibit, US West

1989

Juror, Edmonds Arts and Crafts Exhibit, Edmonds, WA

1985-86

Juror, Shorecrest Arts Exhibit, Seattle

1980-86

Adjunct Faculty, Cornish College of The Arts

1974-present

Prt-time Faculty, Art Institute of Seattle