John Simmons – A Ritual of Renewal

This exhibition round includes works provided by John Simmons which will be on view in the Third Floor West Gallery from September 24 – November 22, 2025.  Lowe Mill A&E invites patrons and art lovers to join us for Open Studio Night, a building-wide experience when our over 150 studios will be open to the public.  The evening also includes receptions for all seven of our gallery spaces. This series gives the public a chance to meet and interact with visiting artists and discuss their work as it is on display and available for purchase. Come out, enjoy a pleasant evening, and maybe you’ll find that special piece of art that speaks to you!  The Open Studio Night reception is Saturday, November 22 from 5-7 pm.

 

About the exhibit:

John Simmons is a collage artist born and raised in Jacksonville, AL. Years of experimenting with old magazines, found ephemera, and personal mark-making led him to discover that the simple act of cutting, tearing, and reassembling was a form of personal alchemy. Each piece is born from a spontaneous gesture rather than a preconceived concept.

His work is rooted in catharsis through process. He enjoys taking bits and pieces of contrasting shapes, textures, and colors to create a wholly new identity. The studio becomes a zone of release, where time collapses and decisions are made in the moment. His compositions emerge organically as he follows intuition—no underlying narrative guides the hand. The resulting collages are traces of an emotional state, snapshots of creative necessity rather than coded symbols demanding interpretation.

Often asked if his works contain hidden metaphors, John insists that the art rarely carries a deeper meaning beyond the joy and urgency of creation. By stripping away intentional symbolism, John invites viewers to experience the pure dynamism of collage, allowing them to create their own interpretations. He views his work as an unfiltered act of creation, a ritual of renewal.

 

About the artist:

John Simmons was born and raised in Jacksonville, AL, and graduated from Jax State University with a BFA in Graphic Design. He received 2 silver Addy’s and 1 Gold Addy for work created as an undergraduate. He has also completed the print campaign and presented work in two different gallery showcases (Leylines – National Juried Drawing Competition, Paint Rock – Drawing Knowledge from Nature). His call to create is centered around sharing his true thoughts and feelings while striving to understand and relate to others.

He has a keen sense of design and its relation to form and function. His mixed media approach focuses on juxtaposition and attention to detail. His body of work displays a true purgative release of thoughtful energy that is both powerful and refined. Working to invite divergent perspectives, his work bears witness to a melting pot of ideas and the various ways we perceive those ideas.