Referring to his work in terms of contemplative landscapes, John MacDonald’s love of realism is directly tied to his love of the craft of painting. To create an illusion of space, form, light, and atmosphere that carries an emotional charge, all from mere fluid dabs and smears of oil paints, is a endless challenge and a perpetual joy for him. Influenced by the American tonalists and the classic “mountain and rivers” poets of China, John strives to say as much as possible with as little as possible–to subtly suggest rather than to overtly describe. His subject matter is the mood that arises from the ego-less contemplation of landscape, a mood of not-knowing that leaves some mystery in a painting, something unresolved that allows the viewer to explore the painting and make discoveries within it.