Escapism

Escapism is the name of Palmer’s primary art style. It features a predominantly white or off-white background with pops of color from confident brushstrokes. Early Escapism paintings would often incorporate a realistic trigger: an arrow, a numeral, a cloud, or most notably a black-and-white checkerboard grid. The purpose was to help ease the viewing into the world of the abstract. For John Ross Palmer, art is healing. Just like the healing process is not easy, neither is true and authentic appreciation of abstract art. Palmer’s inclusion of a grounding bit of realism serves as a comfort and a virtual bridge that allows the viewer to escape into the next dimension. As the artist matured, the realistic triggers were often left behind. Modern Escapism pieces are more free flowing. A piece is deemed “muted” Escapism when it contains elements of the primary style but it lacks any vibrant colors. A rare series was deemed Purple Escapism because the background was purple rather than the traditional white or off-white. An Early Escapism painting was created prior to the artist truly defining this primary style. There are rudimentary elements within the piece that reveal the genesis of Escapism.