"White Chair" Still-Life Gouache and Pencil Sketch by John Botz

A burst of color, simplicity, and joy in modern American folk art

American artist John Botz captures here the essence of childlike spontaneity with painterly sophistication. A radiant bouquet of pansies sits proudly in a terracotta pot, resting on a boldly outlined white rocking chair — all set against a vibrant sea of sky blue.
It is a scene from a specific memory, and the intense feelings that Botz keeps and expresses so well in this drawing.
What stands out immediately is Botz’s fearless use of color blocking and negative space. The chair's paint, left unfinished, makes it appear almost spectral — a ghost of domestic comfort — while the flowers explode with saturated hues: yellows, purples, deep burgundy, and lime green. The joyful defiance of perspective and proportion adds to the sense of playful honesty. This is a work that doesn’t whisper refinement — it sings freedom.
This piece was a sketch for a painting, and he loved it so much as is that he signed and kept it.

John Botz, although lesser known in the mainstream art world, is celebrated in regional circles for his expressive and direct approach to composition. Working primarily in the latter half of the 20th century, Botz’s style aligns with a lineage of American outsider art, folk art, and postwar expressionism — a time when artists rejected academic constraints in favor of authenticity, color, and emotional truth. His work reflects a uniquely American confidence: bold, warm, and unapologetically heartfelt.

John began painting at an early age, primarily in gouache, and Matisse and Dufy had a strong influence on his style. His first one-man show at the Pantechnicon in San Francisco in 1970 was an enthusiastic sellout—thirty-two of the thirty-four paintings in the show sold on the opening day. The success of several exhibits prompted him to begin painting full-time, and he moved to Laguna Beach, where he opened his gallery. He was commissioned to design fabrics for Brunschwig & Fils of New York, Brule & Cie of Los Angeles, and Pierre Frey of Paris, as well as stationery for T.V. Allen and the Crane Company. His work is recognized for its vivid colors in landscapes and still-life flower arrangements, and is owned by many collectors. His serigraphs have been spotted from London to Beijing. John has left a priceless legacy.

This piece would feel at home in any interior that values creativity, optimism, and art that speaks from the soul rather than the intellect. It reminds us of the joy found in ordinary things: a chair, some sunlight, a humble pot of flowers.

REFERENCE NUMBER: LU654316522002
PERIOD: 1980-1989
CONDITION: Good
MEASUREMENTS: Height: 31" Width: 21" Depth: 1.5"
COUNT: 1
MATERIAL: Paper, Gouache, Pencil
CREATOR: John Botz