The Vesuvius Portraits
Faced with mounting pressures of life I felt like the volcano, Vesuvius, waiting to explode. Consequently I began doing brush and ink drawings on a ream of old stained found paper approximately 22”x30.” The drawings were executed in a stream of consciousness one after another, drawing and stacking them in the confined 8 foot by 8-foot space. I had no way to really see them. They consisted of numerous self-portraits, Vesuvius, John Kennedy, TV, random mark making, and family. They seemed disparate yet connected. Given an opportunity to show the drawings I gathered forty them, created during the 40 days of Lent. I wasn’t quite sure how they would look as a group but the idea of multiples and narrative was intriguing to me. -John J. Donnelly
"John Donnelly’s Vesuvius Portraits was my selection for the Edward Frey Award for Best of Show because it presents the viewer with a curious, somewhat chaotic narrative which presents us with more questions than answers; it is a conundrum that engages me deeply. The piece is a storyboard, a kind of crossword puzzle of images. I’ll admit that I do not understand many of its components and yet its is cohesive overall, memorable and fresh. It is worth studying and puzzling over. Some may not consider it beautiful, but it is strong and I admire it. Congratulations John!"
Dennison Griffith- Juror Statement President CCAD