My Five Year Old Could Do That

After the death of John’s father in 1998, he started painting as a means of healing. He tried to escape the pain and return to a place of peace and relaxation. He wanted to be carefree and without worry about the future. To put it simply, he wanted to recapture his childhood innocence.

On March 16, 2020, we launched John’s first major commission project of the decade, My Five-Year-Old Could Do That. By using the artwork of children as inspiration, John will harness the purity of their illustrations to elevate his own paintings. We hope that you will join us on this journey that is sure to be meaningful, challenging, and fun. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see examples.

The planning for this project has been in the works for more than one year. In light of the current COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve moved up its public release. Participating in this ground-breaking series does not require attending an event – and, at least in its early stages, can all be handled via photo-sharing over text and e-mail.

Please click here to view the project package that includes a letter from John, sample imagery from childhood drawing to Palmer painting, and a sign-up form. If you click to read, you will find the explanation for the series name.

Absolutely everyone (throughout the country) is able to participate in this innovative project. Those with grandchildren, nieces/nephews, and adult children too – while you are at home, even look through your own childhood scrapbooks to find one of your earliest creations.