Glow-in-the-dark expressionistic paintings by Kapa‘a artist John Howard will be on display for the month of January at A. Ell Atelier clothing store in Kapa‘a. Meet Howard at an opening reception from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday for Kapa‘a Saturday
Glow-in-the-dark expressionistic paintings by Kapa‘a artist John Howard will be on display for the month of January at A. Ell Atelier clothing store in Kapa‘a. Meet Howard at an opening reception from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday for Kapa‘a Saturday Night Art Walk.
Howard will have framed and unframed giclees available as well as his T-shirt designs of Kaua‘i wildlife, like the infamous toad, rooster or goat.
As a working artist since 1976, Howard came to fluorescent paint early and in complete ignorance of its latitude as a medium. In daylight the colors glow, so he was drawn to their vibrancy at first.
“I began by mixing them with regular acrylics,” he said. “Fluorescent paint glows in daylight.”
It wasn’t until 1984 someone remarked on how his work should be seen under a black light.
“I didn’t even know what it was,” Howard said. “I went out and bought one and was blown away. I thought, ‘Oh my God, I could have some fun with this.”
Nearly 30 years and the love affair still sizzles as Howard plays with portraiture, landscape and most recently, Kaua‘i wildlife. Recently he has been known to seek the company of goats, cows and donkeys populating the pastures of Kapahi.
“My next animal is a fun pig,” he said. “Of course it has to be fun if it’s a pig.”
While Howard has only done a handful of black light public exhibitions since moving to Kaua‘i with wife and yoga teacher Patricia in 1995, his audience has been a select one.
Surrounded by his paintings and sculptures four days a week, Patricia Howard guides her yoga students through stretches, chants and meditative poses in her husbands paint speckled studio.
“It’s a great way to have the art seen,” he said. “I love the vibe in there. To have people that present for the art, what could be better?”
