John Michael Burrows

John Michael Burrows is an American artist, best known for his large scale impasto paintings. His style is both abstract and expressionist, and with each of his paintings a vivid and visceral sense of movement pours off the canvas. John’s technique is fascinating; he often substitutes brushes for knives, giving his work a textural and layered quality. Experimentation is integral to John’s practice, as he continues to develop his diverse, yet characteristically expressive style.

John Michael Burrows’ Early Life and Education

John grew up in San Diego, and from a young age he was painting, drawing, carving and making. When he was only 8 years old, John came down with Polio and creative outlets became an integral part of working on his hand-eye coordination, as well as developing a life-long interest in the arts. John studied at Los Angeles Art Center College of Design, where he gained skills in watercolours, acrylic, photography and figurative drawing.

Career and Process

After 35 years spent working firstly as an architect and then as an interior designer, John made the decision to dedicate himself fully to his own artistic practice. It was at this time that John started using oils and knives to create his signature textured paintings. Sometimes representational, and at other times fully abstract, John’s paintings differ hugely, yet are united by their characterful surfaces and impasto quality.