Square Dance, 4

In Square Dance series. 

72.75 W x 72.75 H in

John O’Hara’s Square Dance series, inspired by Josef Albers’s extensive Homage to the Square series, focuses on the simplification of shape and the relationship of color. Where Albers used oil paint and silk-screen as his mediums, O’Hara’s encaustic wax significantly influences the final piece and the process, which is quite unique.

O’Hara creates his Square Dance series by first laying on a ¼ inch of wax onto his specially made boards. O’Hara heats the wax with a heat gun to cure the paint to the board and smooth the surface into a glassy finish. To achieve the crisp, sharp lines of each square, four boards are each painted their carefully chosen color. Color theory plays an integral part in the series. Differing from Albers, O’Hara chose to position his squares not one on top of another but in a grid. This allows the viewer’s eye to “dance” around the work. O’Hara then positions the colors and bolts each board together to create the larger square. The series is simple, powerful and direct, and above all else, quite enjoyable to look at hanging on a wall.

Now Available by Commission | This painting sold in 2020. The work is available by commission. John O'Hara will work with you to create an original work for your space - size, color, and framing. Email hello@forsythart.com for details or call/text 314-422-1118.

John O’Hara (1963) is an American painter who is well known for his abstract depictions of vinyl records. His chosen medium is encaustic, a heated mixture of beeswax and pigment. O’Hara began his professional art career in 2018 and collectors and designers quickly took notice. His work is included in private collections as well as public collections around the world:

Public Collections: London, Milan, Paris, New York, Seoul, New Orleans, Telluride, Nashville, Rome, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Seattle, Saint Louis