Many of John Goodman’s oil paintings begin as drawings from live model sessions. Recently, however, his focus has shifted to 16th-century “found” drawings by anonymous artists. These historical sketches have become the springboard for evocative new compositions that depict theatrical scenes filled with dynamic human interaction. Though the original context of these figures is lost to time, Goodman re-imagines their stories, allowing them to unfold with a sense of mystery. Through this process, he offers a visual bridge between past and present, suggesting that the emotions and gestures of long-ago lives still echo today.

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