John Flynn
(1934 - 2021)
John Flynn "Self Portrait"
In 2007, Galerie Zygos, gave a solo show to the American artist John Flynn, who lived in Athens for a good number of years, at the gallery then at Pireos Street. Sadly, John passed away in January 2021.
The Chicago-born artist obtained a Bachelor degree of Fine Arts at the Chicago Art Institute in 1960, and a Master's of Arts from the University of Miami, in 1969. He has had several one-man shows, at the Miami Museum of Modern Art, in 1965, 1967 and 1969, Winston Salem, North Carolina, 1974, Michael Wyman Gallery, Chicago, in 1975 and 1976, Worthington Gallery, Chicago, in 1978, the Hellenic American Union, Athens, in 1980, Sonia Zaks Gallery, Chicago, and Galerie Zygos, in 2007. He has has a good number of group shows. He taught art at the Broward County Adult Education, Florida 1965-1969, at the Marymount College, Boca Raton, Florida 1969-1970 and at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke, NC, 1971-1978.
The Chicago-born artist obtained a Bachelor degree of Fine Arts at the Chicago Art Institute in 1960, and a Master's of Arts from the University of Miami, in 1969. He has had several one-man shows, at the Miami Museum of Modern Art, in 1965, 1967 and 1969, Winston Salem, North Carolina, 1974, Michael Wyman Gallery, Chicago, in 1975 and 1976, Worthington Gallery, Chicago, in 1978, the Hellenic American Union, Athens, in 1980, Sonia Zaks Gallery, Chicago, and Galerie Zygos, in 2007. He has has a good number of group shows. He taught art at the Broward County Adult Education, Florida 1965-1969, at the Marymount College, Boca Raton, Florida 1969-1970 and at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke, NC, 1971-1978.
Perhaps, like Cavafy's "Itaka", the Arditos is but a state of mind. Friends told me about it, but I had never troubled to wonder what I'd find up there.
Cavafy cautions not to hurry --to Ithaka, I mean-- but let your trip take years. I passed the Ardittos for twenty years or more and yet refrained from bothering with its slow assent. I missed an open feast.
When I did go, I saw so many wonders, not just turtles, dogs and cats, but light that shimmers through the trees on horizontal lines, dodging rocks to open thicket windows, letting diamonds in my paint brush tried to catch.
Around 2005 I started sketching up in the Arditos, and by the winter of 2006 I was painting the landscape there, in earnest. I continued painting them into 2007.
Greece, but particularly Athens, has offered me so much; the light, when is sharp with a knife's edge, as well as the parks with their trees. And always the glorious Parthenon!
John F. Flynn
Athens, 3 March, 2007
Athens, 3 March, 2007
Great Rock, 50 x 70 cm, by John Flynn
Rose and Curtain, 50 x 70 cm, by John Flynn
Aphrodite, Adonis and Persephone, 50 x 60 cm, by John Flynn
Maria Callas in the Arditos, 70 x 60 cm, by John Flynn
Parthenon from the Arditos, 80 x 60 cm., by John Flynn
John Flynn exhibition invitation, Galerie Zygos
