In this exhibition, John Armstrong traversed processes of construction, sculpture, printmaking and drawing with expert precision while allowing elements of chance to activate new pathways to expression. Structural lines and shapes form architectural constructions, interpreted in flattened reproductions and reimagined as large-scale metal sculptures. Cutouts from the printing process are accumulated, layered, collaged and recontextualized to create astute compositions. The images that appear and reappear reveal a wealth of possibility and boundless invention.

John’s discipline as a maker and innovator informed his lifelong career in cultural leadership and education. He and his wife, Joan Prior, founded Armstrong-Prior Inc., which continues to serve collectors, community organizations and museums. As a master printer, he collaborated with numerous notable artists from around the world. Now, focusing on his own multi-disciplinary studio based in Phoenix, Arizona, Armstrong practices a philosophy he calls engaged abstraction to realize concepts rooted in mythology, color and art theory.