Artist John Tullis is a native Californian, born in Los Angeles where he lived in a tract of homes built to house the many defense industry employees in Southern California. “I watched freeways being built and I witnessed orchards being bulldozed for tract homes. I remember seeing the rocket ship at Tomorrowland rising above the orange groves that became Disneyland parking lots.” However, his home was just a bicycle ride away from the beautiful beaches down the Coast Highway where he says he spent most of his time. Though he always loved to draw, at the time, Tullis shied away from a study of Fine Arts, which emphasized painting. After college he followed his housemate and moved away from LA and settled in the Bay Area, where he worked for 40 years designing books for a printing company in Richmond. After taking a couple of plein air workshops, he discovered, finally, the joy of oil painting.
Eyes Wide Open is the title of Tullis’ upcoming show at Milinda Perry Gallery. When asked why he chose the title “Eyes Wide Open” he says, "More important than learning how to handle a brush is learning how to look. That means training your eye to observe. Great artists don't paint horses, houses, faces or mountains. They paint shapes, colors and values while forgetting what is before them."
Paintings by John Tullis
Nov. 1-Dec. 31
Artist reception Nov. 17, 5-7:30pm
Milinda Perry Gallery
117 East F Street, Benicia
