John's work is based on a curious amalgam of post-war expressionism and surrealism. He is strongly influenced, for example, by both the abstractionism of Jackson Pollock, with its emphasis on overall gesture and markmaking, and the art brut expressionism of Jean Dubuffet, with its use of childlike imagery to suggest directness and spontaneity. The fact is that John has drawn upon a number of influences from 20th century art history, but he has managed to move beyond these influences to develop his own powerful and personal voice.

- Helen Sheridan, Director, Collections and Exhibitions, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 1989