Studio 402

Inspired by the wondrous nature surrounding him, painter John Warren Travis carries his landscapes wherever he goes. From the pass to the north, deserts and mountains of El Paso Del Norte, where he was raised, onto California where he arrived in 1960, the abundance of nature from shore to mountain has constantly replenished his spirit.

After retiring from a long career as a theater designer and professor at UC Berkeley, Warren turned to painting. He approaches painting much the same as the creation of sets and costumes—starting with studies and thought sketches. Through building layers and mark making, he is able to bring to life an exploration of the world around him. He states, “I love the act of painting, and oddly enough, at the age of 88, I am beginning to see improvement.”

Now, in Columbia, Missouri with decided seasons of winter snow, spring, summer, and autumn, his work attempts to capture the ineffable power of nature–”a spring from my graying” as he says. Not renderings, but reminders of this fragile terrain.

johnwarrentravis.com