John Horejs | Elegance in SimplicityFor people with complicated and busy lives, having peaceful interior spaces is crucial.Collectors across the United States, including former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne,Microsoft’s Paul Allen, and Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn, have found a touch of elegantand peaceful simplicity in John Horejs’ warm, rich oil paintings.The oldest of five children, Horejs was born and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho where his fatherworked as assistant fire chief and his mother was actively involved in volunteer service in thefamily’s church. While he was growing up, Horejs developed a deep love of nature as his familyspent several weeks every summer hiking and camping in the magnificent Sawtooth mountainsof central Idaho. He also learned to respect hard work and creativity as his father spent his daysoff from the fire station building the family’s homes.Aside from his father’s artistic woodworking and his Aunt Barbara’s Sunday painting, Horejs’early exposure to art was limited. He explains, “Twin Falls is not exactly the art capital of theworld. My first recollections of viewing paintings were at the art building of the Twin Falls CountyFair each fall.”In high school, Horejs was constantly sketching in the margins of his papers, but it wasn’t untilhe served a two-year church mission in France and viewed some of the world’s artmasterpieces in the museums of Paris that he began to discover a passion for fine art. At onepoint, he and his mission companion had the opportunity to paint a street display, and Horejsfound that he enjoyed the creative process.When he returned to the United States, Horejs wanted to learn more about art and design.Eventually, he took painting lessons from his Aunt Barbara, who encouraged him to develop hisartistic talents and taught him the basics of color and composition.Horejs went on to excel in his basic art and design classes at Brigham Young University andeven had some of his early work accepted into a juried student art show during his secondsemester. However, at the end of his first year at the university, he decided to take a moreself-directed approach to his education and began studying with professional working artists headmired. Among those mentors were Sergei Bongart, Olaf Moller, Jim Wilcox, and MichaelLynch.As he incorporated ideas from workshops he took and masterpieces he studied, Horejsexperimented with color, brushwork, and perspective and began to develop his signature style,a blend of realism and impressionism.Over the years, Horejs has continued to develop his style and technique, one painting at a time.Some of his major influences, along with his early mentors, include John Singer Sargent,Claude Monet, Thomas Moran, and more recently Brian Rutenberg.One of the key elements of Horejs’ work is its peaceful simplicity. “I paint exclusively in oils,using two brushes and seven colors plus white,” he says. “My paintings are done on hand-madecustom contemporary box canvases with no frames, which have become a trademark.” Horejsdraws the inspiration for his paintings from the breathtaking landscapes of the Western UnitedStates. Most of his work is done in-studio using his own photographs of lush landscapes,gardens, clouds, and deserts. Along with his regular studio work, he also loves the challenge ofcreating commissioned pieces for private and corporate collectors.Horejs has been a full-time artist since 1986. His work has been included in exhibitions at theSpringville, Utah, Museum of Art, the Boise Art Museum, and the Museum at the College ofSouthern Idaho. Two major paintings are part of the permanent collection of the State of Idahoin the reception area of the Governor’s Office. He has also been featured in American ArtCollector Magazine and in numerous one-man and group exhibitions in galleries across thecountry.John’s original oil paintings are available in these fine art galleries across the United States:Freeman Gallery, Santa Fe, New MexicoXanadu Gallery, Scottsdale, ArizonaKneeland Gallery, Sun Valley, IdahoGallery 601, Boise, IdahoArt Resources Gallery, Minneapolis and Edina, MinnesotaMadaras Gallery, Tucson, ArizonaWyatt Gallery, Sedona, ArizonaHorses in Motion Gallery, Tubac, ArizonaChasen Galleries, Richmond, VirginiaLa Montage Art, Lewisville, Texas When he is not painting, Horejs enjoys hiking and photography. He and his wife Elaine havebeen married since 1973, and they love spending time with their 9 children and spouses, andtheir 21 grandchildren.“In a world that seems increasingly complex and unsettled,” Horejs strives through his paintings“to bring peace, grace, elegance, and beauty into the lives and interiors of my collectors.”