JOHN SPROUL / Walking The Dark

Granary Arts invites you to join us for \”Walking The Dark\” an exhibition by artist John Sproul.

ON VIEW
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 – Friday, May 5, 2023

RECEPTION
Friday, February 10, 2023, 6-8pm

John Sproul creates work at the intersection between the subconscious and conscious state as he explores primal narratives and the paradox of being human. In his paintings, he places the figure as a central performer, a narrative guide moving through emotionally saturated tableaus of curiosity, vulnerability, and uncertainty. The large scale works absorb the audience into the scene and we become participants in the story.

While the paintings are deeply personal – they also address universal themes of fear, the need to be loved, body image, loneliness, and ego. The exhibition \”Walking The Dark\” embraces a nuanced emotional and socially engaged experience of the world, a perspective that stems from a desire to learn, understand, and ultimately evolve. Sproul’s creative practice is both therapeutic and exploratory. Sproul says, “My purpose is not to wallow, but to walk through these issues and discover what is beyond. To find healing and acceptance of myself and others as we are. To find the truth of us. I hope to find a little more light to see through the dark.”

ABOUT THE ARTIST
John Sproul (b. 1968, Los Angeles, CA) works with the figure to explore human identity and experience as a means of understanding of the world and himself. He has had over 20 solo exhibitions and participated in over 120 group exhibitions internationally including the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City; Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City; The Painting Center, New York; the Bipolar Projects, Barcelona; Galerie Metanoia, Paris; The Kunstwerk Carlshutte, Germany; and the Sienna Art Institute, Italy. He earned a BFA from the University of Utah in 1993.

As an active member of the arts community and advocate of the arts, Sproul served on the Utah Museum of Fine Arts FOCA Executive Committee (2006-2013); founded and directed the Foster Art Program (2009-2011); founded and directed the Utah Contemporary Art Think Tank (2010-2011); owned & directed Nox Contemporary Art Gallery (2010-2022); and is the director of The Art Group (2007-present). Sproul currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Visit his website johnsproul.com or follow him on Instagram @johnsproulstudio

Event is free and open to the public.

Granary Arts is supported in part by Utah Division of Arts & Museums, with funding from the State of Utah and the National Endowment for the Arts, VIA Art Fund in partnership with Wagner Foundation, Sorenson Legacy Foundation, The Paul T. Walton Jr. Charitable Foundation, The Sam and Diane Stewart Family Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, The Ephraim City RAP Tax Fund, Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area, Sites Set for Knowledge and Utah Humanities, Sanpete County Travel, and generous support from Ephraim City.