John Passaro has clear ideas about what Expressive Realism means. “To me, it's the chance to explore the full range of possibilities in a painting because Expressive Realism combines the best of both representational art and non-representational, abstract art. It’s possible to reach for the full character of a painting without sacrificing the subject. I think expression by itself, regardless of how emotional or personal it appears, can be ineffective without the checks and the balances of realism. On the other hand, realism by itself, especially the polished kind, risks saying more about how accomplished the artist is than it says about the subject matter.

“Personally, I reach for both — an expressive character and a recognizable subject. The great thing about Expressive Realism is that it lets artists express themselves and keep in touch with their viewers at the same time.”

What are the checks and balances? “The first and most important check on any artist comes in working from life. My landscape paintings start outdoors observing real places in real time. I don’t think the human imagination, including mine, is smart enough or deep enough to invent the infinite variety of nature. Meaningful work starts with looking closely at your subject as you paint or draw. The balance comes in studying and mastering the elements of the visual arts . . . line, value, shape, design, color, brushwork, for example. That's your foundation. That's the good news. The bad news is you have to forget what you learn, but then, after that, after your observations are accurate and your technique is second nature, it can be really good news if you stick with it long enough.”

Passaro has been exploring the elements of visual expression his entire life, starting with his teachers in Denver high schools, then graduating to the old (and now long-gone) Rocky Mountain School of Art. He eventually moved to New England to study at the School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. At the Museum School, Passaro worked under John Burns, learning the craftsmanship of traditional painting techniques. Following time-honored traditions, he painted full-scale copies of works in the Museum's permanent collection.

“You get over stage fright quickly with a dozen or so people watching you paint! But I wouldn't trade those experiences for any other kind of education. At that time, it was a time of doing your own thing; everything was good. Fortunately I had an old-time teacher who stressed the value of sound practices and a solid understanding of the fundamentals.”

Expressive Realism is not necessarily merely a style or a way of painting; it is more a commitment and an attitude, a willingness to take chances. Because of this, artists who paint in this manner seldom feel they have stopped learning and growing. They work the fine lines between craft and mechanics, between expression and self-indulgence.

When asked about balancing success with experimentation, Passaro says, “There's not much to say about that kind of balancing act: it's one of those things where we know it when we see it. When I hear people say, I don't know much about painting, but I know what I like, I think they actually know more than they think they know. It's better to know more than you think you know than less . . . especially for artists. Personally, my best friends are artists who realize they don't know as much as they think they know. I spend a lot of time seeing how far I can take things.”

Passaro is matter-of-fact about the artist's life: “There's usually nothing mysterious in it: the keys are focus, work, and taking your visual information from life. The secret strength good artists carry around with them is the ability to draw and handle values effectively, both of which come from practiced observation. It all has a lot less to do with inspiration and talent than with consistency and a stick-to-it ethic. The magic in a painting happens in the moments when I forget what I know, stop thinking, forget about the subject matter . . . and let the brush do the work.”

John Passaro paints outdoor landscapes, then
paints larger, more developed paintings from the studies,
as well as his own expressive brand of still lifes,
railroad art, and portraits. His work is represented in
three corporate collections and over 300 private collections
all over the Southwest and Eastern U.S. as well as places
as far away and as diverse as Scotland and the Dominican.

John lives in Denver with his wife, two of their three
children (the oldest is in Japan in the United States Navy),
and a big, calm St. Bernard dog whom they named Heidi
(right). He admits he doesn't get much work done in his
home studio (pictured at the top of this page). “Sometimes,
after midnight. Maybe.”