JOHN DOWLING’S INSPIRATION – This is one of John Dowling’s most complicated and mysterious pieces. It includes thousands of elements and many layers of abstract illusionistic components. Two of these are challenging to spot. When you do, you will realize that one of them is the mother. She is the mother of one of the most successful child stars to have come from Long Island. The other was a local artist whom Dowling knew for a short time and whose graphic works he admired.
This is another of John Dowling’s composites that went through many iterations. This piece took almost a decade to create as Dowling will often become snowblind when working on certain pieces. He will not feel they are complete until he has his epiphany moment. Only then does he know the piece is complete. Lunatic Hitchhiker features an adorable hitchhiker. Dowling gave the hitchhiker a ride while RVing around the country. He was taking his marathon walks.
Technique These Miracle in the Making pieces were made between 1983 and 2024. Depending on the computer processing power at the time, they now can look rudimentary. However, at their respective time in production, they were state-of-the-art and often took days to complete. The process is quite complicated. Each work of art starts with a photograph. In the beginning of John’s creative journey, it started with actual film, enlargers, and chemical processes. Terms like “Ruby Lift” were used, which most artists don’t even know about. It was a way to mask light from images in the darkroom that were “cut” by hand.
Cameras evolved into digital devices. The darkroom transformed into software like Photoshop. John Dowling began using montages and compositing to enhance his illusions. He started with multiple images and textures in traditional darkrooms. Initially, John Dowling used his first set of paintings as textures for his montages. Later, these paintings started to sell on their own.
John Dowling’s work is unique due to his use of digitally painted abstract layers. These layers cause each viewer to have different perceptions of what they are observing. It is a unique technique. It leads viewers to have false affirmations of what they see. It also challenges the conscious mind to see what actually exists.
The term for this psychological effect is scotomisation. These shapes, patterns, and illusions often engage the viewer in finding objects. This can lead to moments when the individual experiences a “eureka moment” or epiphany.
PRODUCT DETAILS- This print delivers a vivid image with maximum color accuracy and exceptional resolution. The standard for museums and galleries around the world involves a printing process. In this process, millions of ink droplets are “sprayed” onto high-quality high-gloss metallic paper or aluminum. They are then adhered to special optical glass or acrylic. Dowling’s prints have a great degree of detail. They also show smooth transitions of color gradients. As a result, they appear more realistic than other reproduction prints.
Dowling also painted a version of Lunatic Hitchhiker with acrylic paint. A very large almost six-foot edition!
