Exhibit Title : Jazz Artists at Work

Exhibition Notes: John Kempton’s mixed media jazz artist paintings exhibits our most renowned jazz artists in action, capturing their facial expressions and personalities, while performing on stage and off. His satirical and offbeat outlook on life is infused in these works. Yet, his love for jazz artists and their music appears through his sensitive portrayal of these men and women.

Exhibit Title : Perfect Diction

Exhibition Notes: John Kempton speaks of his charcoal and acrylic works as portraying women whom he considers “…frustrated seekers after an unattainable idea.” Kempton’s powerful black lines and brightly colored washes initially appear to be humorously lampooning female anatomy. Well-endowed women are “…stuffed into stage-like settings under intense theatrical lights.” At second look the viewer may observe the violent motion, emotion and contorted features that are possibly masking the artist’s sarcastic view of women. Yet Kempton, during an interview, felt this body of work expressed the kind of woman who hindered her growth by rejecting her individuality, seeking angrily and unsuccessfully to become a publicly acceptable mirror image. De Kooning, Picasso and Matisse influences are clearly visible in John Kempton’s work.