A native son of the Pacific Northwest, John Albert Woodard studied under Jacob Lawrence, his most influential mentor and teacher, at the University of Washington. Like Lawrence, Woodard’s work, regardless of the medium, relies on sophisticated composition and close attention to the tension between the negative and positive shapes.
No matter what subjectivity John is working with in a particular series, his work is unified by an enduring passion for thorough understanding of how color works in opposition to value. Oil painting has allowed Woodard to explore subtleties of color theory, as the medium allows him to neutralize colors and match values with precision, which is not possible in acrylic medium. Currently, he has translated his life’s experience with oil to working with oil pastels and watercolors, in a process called watercolor resist. This technique marries the quality of painting with the immediacy and spontaneity of drawing.
Woodard’s home and his studio is located on Vashon Island, Washington. The vistas of the Puget Sound and the shrouded, misty woods which surround his home serve as inspiration for his work.