American Artist James Wolanin has always had an interest in Mid Century Americana. Wolanin’s richly colored paintings transport the viewer back to a time of innocence. Inspired by vintage advertisements, photographs, and the artist’s own childhood memories, his stylized paintings are infused with 1960s pop imagery. Blending retro imagery with a contemporary style, Wolanin’s paintings capture a feeling of nostalgia while exploring a utopian narrative within the compositions he creates. Glamorous models wearing the fashions of the era, carefree road trips and vacations, the Artist likes to refer to his compositions as snapshots of Americana. Beneath their glossy, seductive surfaces, the paintings swirl with intriguing psychological substance. The paintings contain a fragment of narrative, leaving the viewer to establish their own interpretations of the scene.
The paintings are created using a unique stenciling technique that the artist has been developing and refining. Compositions are designed to simplify and isolate shapes.Each shape is meticulously masked out, cut, and painted. The composition is then built up layer by layer and painted around the edges of custom wood panels.
James Wolanin lives and works in New Jersey. He has attended The School of Visual Arts in New York City, and graduated Cum Laude from The duCret School of Art. His work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions and is part of many important collections including The Alex Katz Foundation, The Michener Art Museum permanent collection and The Royal Palace of Monaco Permanent Collection.
American, born 1965, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Education
Du Cret School of Art, Plainfield, NJ, graduate cum laude
School of Visual Arts, New York City
Grants
Artist in Residence, Artist Grant, Vermont Studio Center, Vermont, January 2009
Artist in Residence, School of Visual Arts, New York City, Summer 2006
Selected Collections
Alex Katz Foundation
James A. Michener Museum Permanent Collection
Royal Palace of Monaco Permanent Collection
Recent Solo Exhibitions
2022 “Recent Paintings”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2021 “Recent Paintings”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA
2020 “New Works”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2019 “Here Comes The Sun”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA
2018 ‘Recent Paintings”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA
2018 “Recent Paintings”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2017 “Contemporary Consciousness”, JoAnne Artman Gallery, Chelsea, New York City
2017 ‘Recent Paintings”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA
2016 “A Summer Song”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA
2015 “The New Romantics”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA
2014 “All That Glitters”, Campton Gallery, New York City
2013 “Recent Paintings”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, St. Helena, CA
2013 “Vintage Pop”, Campton Gallery, New York City
2012 "On The Road", Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2011 “Recent Paintings", Campton Gallery, New York City
2010 "Recent Paintings", Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 “New Paintings”, Museum Works Galleries, Santa Fe, NM
2009 New & Recent Works, Museum Works Galleries, Aspen, CO
2008 “Snow Bunnies”, Museum Works Galleries, Aspen, CO
2007 “Stewardess Paintings”, Museum Works Galleries, Aspen, CO
2001 MTV Showcase Artist, MTV Times Square Studios, New York City
2000 “Celebration of the Feast”, Swain’s Gallery, Plainfield, NJ
Publications
2015 “American Art Collector Magazine”, April issue, “New Romantics” show preview
2013 "Vintage Pop" Retrospective Artist Book, Caldwell Snyder Press