About the Artist
Small Town, Big Dreams
My name is João Magalhães, which is Portuguese for John Magellan. I was born in Jacutinga, a tiny town in the southern part of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, the oldest of three siblings. The inhabitants of the town are mostly of Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish heritage, as is our family.
As a young child, one of my favorite interests was drawing. I dreamed of learning how to paint with oils, but opportunities in our little town were non-existent. Fortunately, when I was fifteen, our parents decided to relocate the family to Pouso Alegre, where we would have access to better education. In our new town, we immersed ourselves in extracurricular activities, and I was soon enrolled in oil painting classes, which I attended for three years. I was in heaven.
However, as time passed, other responsibilities took precedence: military service and then college, graduating in 1987 with a degree in law. The summer of 1989 saw me in school in California, studying techniques for teaching English as a second language (ESL), followed by a trip to Oklahoma in the fall, where time with friends helped with my language skills and understanding of American culture. Upon returning to Brazil, I started my own business, a school offering classes in English, Spanish, and art. Establishing the school opened the door to acceptance in a prestigious two-year educational program in small business administration, run by the government agency SEBRAE. While operating the business for ten years, I became increasingly compelled to further my education. In 2000, I was accepted into the master’s program in Teaching English as a Second Language at the University of Central Oklahoma, in the quaint town of Edmond.
Leaving Brazil was a painful and difficult decision, but determination and faith in God won out. After much preparation, I landed in Oklahoma City on May 11, 2001 to start summer school.
Soon after graduation in 2003, The Language Company agreed to sponsor a work visa and sent me to Pennsylvania in January of 2004 to work in one of their branches as the Director of Admissions and as an ESL instructor. I remained on the job with The Language Company until the end of October 2018. By that time, it had become clear to me that art should finally take center stage. This was the beginning of a new chapter in my life as a full-time artist.
It is important to mention a date of deep gratitude, April 22, 2016, when I was sworn in as an American citizen. Counting all the blessings along the way would be impossible, but the journey goes on.
On Cape Cod, MA, I am represented by the Julie Heller East Gallery, 465 Commercial Street, phone number 508 487 2166.
Medium
I work with oils because they translate into a better interpretation of the world around me.
Inspiration
Whatever pleases my eyes, touches my heart, and brings me joy holds potential for a painting. I am especially fascinated by contrasts of light and shadow and the ways we can use color to convey depth, mood, and shapes.
Gone But Not Forgotten
$1,150.00
($45.00 shipping)
We stumbled upon this abandoned and dilapidated building on Pond Road in North Truro, Cape Cod, one sunny Sunday afternoon. The structure still holds its charm and alludes to its past magnificence, once the venue of a French restaurant.
Oil on canvas 10x14 framed in a white floater frame, available through the Julie Heller East Gallery in Provincetown, phone number 508 487 2166.
Sailing Away
$1,150.00
($45.00 shipping)
Boats and water reflection fascinate me. I am always on the look out for scenes where the sun light bathes vessels creating reflections and dramatic shadow/light contrast. It is worth getting up early. Oil on canvas 11x14 framed with a floater frame, available through the Julie Heller East Gallery in Provincetown, phone number 508 487 2166.
Poppy
$875.00
($45.00 shipping)
Poppy, one of the flower cottages in North Truro, sunbathed in the early morning September light. Oil on canvas 8x10 framed with a black floater frame, and available through the Julie Heller East Gallery in Provincetown, phone number 508 487 2166.
Washed Ashore
$975.00
($45.00 shipping)
A lobster buoy washed ashore, fears never spoken of, dreams kept alive, fishermen providing the daily bread for their families. The tide is going out. Sit still and wait. Oil on canvas 9x12 framed with a white floater, available through the Julie Heller East Gallery in Provincetown, phone number 508 487 2166.
Race Point Light
$975.00
($45.00 shipping)
Trekked through the dunes and low tide water at Hatches Harbor to get close enough to capture this image on a beautiful September morning.
Oil on canvas 12x12 in a black floater frame, available through the Julie Heller East Gallery in Provincetown, phone number 508 487 2166.
Apples and Flowers - SOLD
$450.00
($25.00 shipping)
Got out of bed one morning in the mood to compose a still life. First thing on the list, walked to a neighborhood grocery store for some flowers, then added some apples and objects from around the house in the composition. Ready to get started and have fun! Oil on canvas 9x12 framed with a black plein air frame. For more information, please contact me at artbyjoao23@gmail.com.
Previous Works
Commissioned Building Portraits - framed in a black or white floater at $875+ shipping for 11x14 canvas. Other sizes also available.
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