JOHN SZABO
                                                                             ARTIST STATEMENT


Many things inspire me as an artist. It can be a dream, the memory of which is triggered by some random thought, during the day. It can be something as simple and random as a patch of ground that catches my attention where the texture, color and composition of concrete, asphalt and oil mix. The process can involve months of subconscious thinking.  

Art is an attempt to connect. Be understood. Explore. Create community. Art has the power of placing you in the now. The present. Art is about an experience between the viewer and the art. Whether it be painting, writing, film, music or theatre. Every painting is a combination of random "accidents" and planned process.  

Rather than speak in intellectual or convoluted artistic terms about my paintings I prefer each person bring a new and personal interpretation based on their own life history, experience, emotions and chemistry. I hope one can view my paintings and be inspired by whatever emotions they experience. 

I consider my paintings a culmination of a lifetime of work in the arts with a focus on photography, filmmaking, painting and writing – poetry, short fiction and journalism. 

I like what Leo Tolstoy said in his book “What is Art?” published in 1897. “Every work of art causes the receiver to enter into a relationship with the artist and with all those who receive the same artistic impression. It is upon this capacity of man to receive another man's expression of feeling and experience those feelings himself, that the activity of art is based.”



                                                                                 PHOTOGRAPHY













                                                                                         JOHN SZABO
                                                                                             RESUME
Selected Exhibitions

2011 Santa Monica Art Studios, Santa Monica, CA 
2010 Santa Monica Art Studios, Santa Monica, CA 
2009 Marion Meyer Contemporary Art, Solo Show, Laguna Beach, CA 
2008 ArtExpo Las Vegas, Nevada, CA 
2008 Laguna Beach City Hall, Contemporary Art Show, Laguna Beach, CA
2008 Marion Meyer Contemporary Art, “Winter Blue” and “Something Red” Group Shows 
2007 The Cove Gallery, December Guest Artist www.covegallerylaguna.com, Laguna Beach, CA. 
2007 Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA. 
2007 Juried Dana Point Art Festival, Dana Point, CA.
1997-2003 Mission Street Gallery, Group Show, San Francsico, CA  

Museum Collections 

Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Los Angeles County 
Museum of Modern Art Orange County Center for Contemporary Art

Resort and Restaurant Collections  

The Ritz Carlton Hotel, Dana Point, CA 
The Surf & Sand Resort, Laguna Beach, CA 
The Island Hotel, Newport Beach, CA 
The Montage Resort, Dana Point, CA 
The Sapphire Grille Restaurant, Laguna Beach, CA  



                                                                                         PRESS 

Szabo’s art and critiques of his art have appeared in: ARTNews, ArtMonthly, Rivera Magazine. LUXE Magazine, Art Business News, The Orange County Register and The Laguna Beach Post. 


                                                                                     EDUCATION


1989 M.A. Indiana University. Ernie Pyle School of Journalism. Concentration in Reporting The Arts. 1985 B.A. University of California, Irvine. Political Science. 


                                                                                    MATERIALS

I take a great deal of care to use only the finest museum quality archival materials in my work including paints,
inks, wood panels, canvases, resins and framing. 



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I have been a photographer since I was a kid when my father taught me how to use his SLR Canon AE1 film camera and 8mm film movie camera and editing station.  I learned to develop, process and print my own images in a darkroom which I did for over 10 years prior to migrating my photography process to digital. I currently use a professional photo processing lab to print my digital images. 
Art opening featuring 3 Galaxy pieces | 36x36 | Ink & Resin on Wood Panel
Studio | Galaxy III | 36x36 | Resin and Ink on Wood Panel
Nubula | 36x72 | Resin and Ink on Wood Panel
Studio | Newspaper Collage Series