Born in New York in 1965, John eventually moved to southern Florida and began painting in the late 1990's. Much of his work is influenced by his natural environment particularity the horizon where earth meets sky. This subtle definition of space grounds his work to a sense of place without limiting what can be experienced there. His work is as much visual as it is visceral. There is not only image, color, light and dark, but texture, design, and balance.

John works in a process of layering, pouring and scraping off, leaving traces of earlier information, a build up and overlap of successive stages which ask that the viewers attention continually adjusts in order to consider the various perceptual possibilities within the subject.

The paintings reveal themselves slowly, asking you to explore each successive layer underneath and to examine the relationship between space and depth, presence and absence. His desire is to draw his viewers into the conversation.

"The biggest difference is my approach," says John. "Rather than undertake each painting with a predetermined idea of the outcome, I've started to let the pieces unfold on it's own and, as a result, the work has come to me a lot easier."

"I have experienced an epiphany in letting the process guide me in revealing the painting, rather than "painting" the painting."

Inspired by what he describes as his day-to-day environment, Schuyler's studio is designed for promoting serenity and concentration. He hopes this soothing and sense of calm and control translate into his work.

Artist Statement:

The inspiration for my work is both selective and indiscriminate. After the initial influence sparks the beginning of a painting, the piece generally takes on a vision of it's own, a relationship develop between us and occasionally conflicts must be overcome. At other times it's very passionate and I'm in the moment, not questioning the end result, trusting it will take me where it wants to go.

My work has evolved over the years and continues to undergo numerous transformations. The Ultimate intention of my work is to evoke an emotional response. I hope each viewer takes away his or her own strong feeling from my work and that the work somehow resonates on a unconscious level with them.