As a boy, I dreamed of playing professional baseball. If I wasn’t throwing a ball, I was sketching. Drawing and painting have been part of my life for as long as I can remember, a passion that only deepened as I grew older. The true spark came from two cousins whose creativity left a lasting impression: one a gifted draftsman, the other a talented woodworker. Their imagination and craftsmanship lit a fire in me, and what began as childhood curiosity grew into a lifelong devotion—one that has defined not only my career but also my identity as an artist. While baseball was my childhood dream, art ultimately became my destiny.
My art has always been a form of storytelling, shaped through dramatic light, color and shadow. My work has consistently centered on people and their stories. I am drawn to subjects with a dynamic presence—pop culture icons, accomplished athletes and figures whose character tells a tale. Throughout the years, I have found inspiration in recurring themes of movement, expressive poses and dramatic lighting, all of which reveal both energy and emotion. Painting people in the prime of their lives is particularly inspiring to me. I see those years as a time when the human spirit shines at its best, and capturing that strength on canvas feels both powerful and timeless.
My palette is as much about mood as it is about color. I often work with gray, blue, sienna and red tones, but it is lighting that brings my work to life. I am inspired by watching the sun break through clouds or a single beam of light pouring into a room. I am fascinated by the interplay of light and shadow, using both not only to create perspective but also to add layers of meaning. Strong contrasts between light and dark can create a sense of mystery, drama or tension, while gentle light evokes warmth and serenity. For me, the mood of a painting begins with my voice as the artist, but it is always completed by the interpretation of the viewer.
Over the years, my work has also become a tribute to the masters who inspired me: Bernie Fuchs, Maxfield Parrish, Frank Frazetta, Burt Silverman and Bart Forbes. Each infused their art with a balance of realism, imagination and narrative, and I strive to carry that same spirit into my own practice. As I matured as an artist, my style has become looser and bolder. I have learned to take risks, to embrace imperfections and to see mistakes not as setbacks but as opportunities. Many of my most meaningful breakthroughs happen during the act of creating, not before it.
At its core, my art and my inspiration are about people, light and story. Whether I am capturing the intensity of an athlete in motion or the quiet strength of a figure in shadow, I aim to create work that feels alive. My paintings invite viewers to pause, to look closer and to imagine. For me, art is always a shared journey: I set the stage through intention, style and choice, but it is the viewer who completes the story. That conversation—between artist and audience—is what makes art enduring and endlessly powerful.
Learn more at JohnHanleyArtist.com.
At its core, my art and my inspiration are about people, light and story.