Born in New York, John Schüyler eventually moved to southern Florida and began painting in the 1990's. Much of his work is influenced by his natural environment, particularly the horizon where earth meets sky. This subtle definition of space grounds his work to a sense of place without limiting what can be experienced there. His work is as much visual as it is visceral. There is not only image, color, light and dark, but texture, design, and balance. Schüyler works in a process of layering, pouring and scraping off, leaving traces of earlier information, a build up and overlap of successive stages which ask that the viewer's attention continually adjust in order to consider the various perceptual possibilities within the subject. The paintings reveal themselves slowly, asking the viewer to explore each successive layer underneath and to examine the relationship between space and depth, presence and absence. The artist desires to draw his viewers into the conversation. "The biggest difference is my approach," Schüyler explains. "Rather than undertake each painting with a predetermined idea of the outcome, I've started to let the pieces unfold on their own and, as a result, the work has come to me a lot easier." "I have experienced an epiphany in letting the process guide me in revealing the painting, rather than "painting" the painting." Inspired by what he describes as his day-to-day environment, Schüyler's studio is designed for promoting serenity and concentration. He allows this soothing and sense of calm and control to infuse his work. ARTIST'S STATEMENTThe inspiration for my work is both selective and indiscriminate. After the initial influence sparks the beginning of a painting, the piece generally takes on a vision of its own, a relationship develops between us and occasionally conflicts must be resolved. At other times it's very passionate and in the moment, not questioning the end result, allowing it will take me where it wants to go. My work continues to evolve over the years and has undergone numerous transformations.