John Goodwin's Art World

My Background

My Inspiration

I studied art at Louisiana Tech University, worked in the graphic arts industry, and live in Little Rock, Arkansas. I consider my art Fun Art, rather than Fine Art, and my influences are more from comic books than anything you're likely to find in a museum. I hope you find something here to enjoy!

My Inspiration

A lot of my art is inspired by music - all kinds of music - and I like to visualize it in bright colors and moving shapes, while also paying respect to the musicians themselves. Although I'm partial to the Blues, I'm also fascinated with cultural symbols of all sorts, images from Louisiana life, and other colorful subjects.

more FALL NEWS 2024 - GROUP EXHIBITIONS & Magazines

Gallerium Exhibitions

HMVC Gallery New York Exhibitions

Four of my paintings were featured in monthly online group exhibitions by the international art organization Gallerium, each with different themes. "Chicago Style" in Food Story, "Marie Laveau" in Portraits. "The Bayou Goodbye" in Scenic. and "Saraswati" in Spirituality 2024. Details about each of these can be found in my galleries.

HMVC Gallery New York Exhibitions

"Red's" was featured in HMVC Gallery New York's "Harmony & Diversity" exhibition in September and "The Birth of Rock N Roll" was part of the "Bright Palettes" exhibition in November. Both exhibitions were shown for a day on a jumbotron in Times Square! More info about both can be found in my galleries.

Artistonish & Do South Magazines

HMVC Gallery New York Exhibitions

Artistonish & Do South Magazines

"Dreamland" was featured in the September 2024 issue of the monthly international art magazine Artistonish. An article about my art in general, "Painting The Blues", was featured in the November issue of the Fort Smith area's Do South magazine.

Summer news 2024 - howlin' wolf & house party t-shirts!

Howlin' Wolf

32nd Anniversary Blues House Party T-shirts

One of my absolute favorite blusmen of all time - the great Howlin' Wolf! "If you hear me howlin' . . . calling' on my darlin' . . . " Wa-oooo Hooooo! This one will be added to my Blues Greeting Card series and details about the painting can be found in the Blues Gallery.

32nd Anniversary Blues House Party T-shirts

Ol' Gilbo can howl pretty good himself! Featuring Arkansas Blues Legend Gil Franklin, I was honored to have long-time Blues DJ for KABF radio, Deb Finney, choose my painting to help her celebrate 32 years of her Friday PM Blues House Party show. Proceeds from the shirts helped fund Arkansas's best public radio station and they quickly sold out. Info about the painting can be found in the Blues Gallery.

More summer news 2024 - ribs and red's!

The Rib Plate

Red's 2024 Summer Exhibit

I am a meat-on-the-bone type guy, so this is one of my favorite things - The Rib Plate! With potato salad, baked beans, and a slice or two of bread, I prefer them Memphis style with a nice spice rub and a drizzle of sauce. This is a great companion piece to my Catfish Basket painting and can be found along with it in the Miscellaneous Gallery.

Red's 2024 Summer Exhibit

Red's was chosen to be included in the annual juried gallery show at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The theme of the exhibit was "Inclusive" and it featured artists from six states and one foreign country and ran during the summer of 2024. Red's previously won second place in the Arkansas Delta Arts Partnership's 2021 painting exhibit and further details about it can be found in the Blues Gallery.

Spring NEWS 2024 -northwest arkansas music!

Aces N' Eights

George's Majestic Lounge

Aces N' Eights is a great cover band that plays classic rock, country, rockabilly, and blues and they usually perform in the Fort Smith, Van Buren, Alma, and Ozark areas of Northwest Arkansas . Check them out sometime when you're over that way! This painting of them was commissioned by my old friend, Jim Warnock, their drummer. Details about signed giclee prints of it can be found in my Blues Gallery.

George's Majestic Lounge

George’s Majestic Lounge is located in the entertainment district of Fayetteville on Dickson Street. It’s the oldest, longest-running live music venue in Arkansas and will hit the 100 year mark in 2027. Generations of University of Arkansas students, faculty, and visitors have drank, danced, and heard a lot of great music here throughout the years. More details about it are in my Blues Gallery.

Winter news 2023/2024 - NOLA art & Blues Greeting cards!

Dat Second Line

Blues Greeting Card Collection

I hope all my Louisiana friends had a Happy Mardi Gras! This is my tribute to a New Orleans tradition - a funky dancing leader, followed by a great Dixieland Jazz band, followed by a parade of dancing people - Dat Second Line. Details about it are listed in my Louisiana Gallery.

Blues Greeting Card Collection

These are handmade cards in either white or kraft brown that fold to 5 X 7, feature beautiful glossy 4 X 6 prints, are blank inside, individually packaged in cellophane with a matching envelope, and are priced at $6.00 each. Greeting cards can also be produced on-demand of any of my other paintings as well, so please let me know if there is another image you might be interested in!

Fall news 2023 - City & Country again!

Home of the Blues

What the French Quarter in New Orleans is to Jazz, Beale Street in Memphis is to the Blues! If you ever visit you'll likely notice the "Home of the Blues" sign overhead and it truly is. Iconic bars, restaurants and shops line both sides of the street and you'll hear a lot of good blues. It will be added to my greeting card series and details about the painting are in my Blues Gallery!

The Bayou Goodbye

Home of the Blues

I wanted to contrast the urban atmosphere and neon colors of Beale Street with something rural and peaceful, so I created a little gothic romance with the painting "The Bayou Goodbye". Details about it are included in my Louisiana Gallery.

Summer News - 2023 King Biscuit Blues festival Poster Artist

KBBF Winning Poster Artist Again for 2023!

I can’t think of anyone who deserves to be on a King Biscuit Blues Festival poster more than Bubba Sullivan, so this tribute was something I just had to do. Bubba is the founder of both the Sonny Boy Blues Society in Helena and also of the Festival itself, as well as the Blues music super store Bubba's Blues Corner. I'm so proud to have my artwork used at the festival for the third year in a row and to also share this great honor with Bubba!

"Bubba's Blues Heart"

KBBF Winning Poster Artist Again for 2023!

Posters are available through the King Biscuit Office signed ( an edition of 150 ) for $25 or unsigned for $20. Special guests at the poster reveal party were Bubba's wife, Kathy Sullivan, and Super Chikan, who provided music for the event.

SPRING NEWS 2023 - DElta Roots & A Hot Dog In the Park!

The Official 2023 Delta Roots Music Festival Poster - The Delta Music Tree

I'm so happy to have been chosen as the official artist for the Delta Roots Music Festival again for 2023! "The Delta Music Tree" was featured at the festival on posters and includes Helena's own Brad Moneymaker. More information about it is included in the Miscellaneous Gallery.

2023 Art & The Park Exhibit - Chicago Style

The Official 2023 Delta Roots Music Festival Poster - The Delta Music Tree

I'm also happy to announce that my Levon Helm sign has come down, but a new hot dog sign has gone up along the Hot Springs Greenway Trail for 2023-2024! My painting “Chicago Style” was selected as one of 20 pieces for the juried outdoor art exhibit ART MOVES: Art & Soul by the Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance. It was displayed near the end of the trail at the entrance to Hollywood Park. More information about it is included in the Miscellaneous Gallery.

FALL NEWS 2022 - King Biscuit Poster Artist for two years!

2021 King Biscuit Blues Festival Poster Winner!

King Biscuit Blues Festival Poster Art Used Again for 2022!

2021 King Biscuit Blues Festival Poster Winner!

As a long-time blues fan and KBBF attendee, it was my great honor to be selected as the official 2021 King Biscuit Blues Festival Poster artist! Unfortunately the festival was postponed due to COVID 19, but posters, however, both signed for $25 and unsigned for $20 are still available at the KBBF office. They should be collector's items!

Poster Signing With The Great Bobby Rush

King Biscuit Blues Festival Poster Art Used Again for 2022!

2021 King Biscuit Blues Festival Poster Winner!

My signing ceremony was held at The Helena Tavern where Bubba Sullivan's ( Bubba's Blues Corner ) birthday party was taking place. His special guest was the legendary Bobby Rush, who took time to visit with me and signed some of my posters for the Board of Directors.

King Biscuit Blues Festival Poster Art Used Again for 2022!

The King Biscuit Blues Festival decided to use my "Welcome Home to Helena" painting again for their 2022 poster. They changed the border color and dates to reflect the new year and it looked great. I signed both versions at the Delta Cultural Center during the festival!

SPring News 2022-Levon Helm featured in helena & Hot Springs

First Official Artist for the Delta Roots Music Festival in Helena!

Levon Painting Also Featured in ART MOVES/Creative Roots Outdoor Art Exhibit in Hot Springs!

The Delta Roots Music Festival chose me to be their first official artist and commissioned me to paint Levon Helm, a native of nearby Turkey Scratch, as a tribute they could use on their posters and T-shirts for the 2022 festival. They had me sign and number an edition of 50 and they sold unsigned posters as well - it was such an honor to be chosen for this as a long-time fan of his music. They held a poster signing event at the Delta Dirt Distillery the night before the festival , which featured a full day and night of great music on Saturday, April 9th.

Details on the painting are listed in the Miscellaneous Gallery.

Levon Painting Also Featured in ART MOVES/Creative Roots Outdoor Art Exhibit in Hot Springs!

The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance's theme for their outdoor Art & the Park exhibit was Creative Roots, so my Levon Helm painting was a perfect fit! They selected 15 images out of all those submitted to be reproduced on 30 X 40 metal signs weatherized to be displayed for a year along the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail. My Levon sign was posted at the beginning of the trail outside the Majestic Park baseball fields and was one of the highest bid items at their silent auction when it came down after a year for the new 2023 signs.

MOre news! - "Somebody else's Blues" movie poster

"Somebody Else's Blues" Movie Poster

Poster Unveiling with Star Regina Gibson

I enjoyed meeting the cast and crew at the wrap party for “Somebody Else’s Blues”, the outstanding new short film by David Bogard. I was honored to work with him on the one sheet for it, which features a portrait of Regina Gibson’s character in the film.

Even more news! - "Sunshine" Sonny payne Tribute t-shirt

Original Painting Displayed in the Delta Cultural Center

I am honored to have my tribute painting for the long-time King Biscuit radio show host, "Sunshine" Sonny Payne, that was graciously donated by Philly Rains, displayed in the KFFA studio area of the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas.

"Sunshine" Sonny Payne Tribute T-shirts

Original Painting Displayed in the Delta Cultural Center

The “Sunshine” Sonny Payne tribute T-shirts are in! You can order one in either black or red by calling the Delta Cultural Center’s Gift Shop at 870-338-4350.

Career highlights

Signing Posters with Bobby Rush

Hanging with Earl Cate & Levon Helm's Bandmate Jim Weider

Presenting a Big Jack Print to Super Chikan

In 2021, at the end of the Covid pandemic, I had the great pleasure of signing my King Biscuit Festival poster along with the great Bobby Rush.

Presenting a Big Jack Print to Super Chikan

Hanging with Earl Cate & Levon Helm's Bandmate Jim Weider

Presenting a Big Jack Print to Super Chikan

Super Chikan told me in 2022 that Big Jack Johnson was his uncle, so the next time I saw him at the 2023 King Biscuit poster reveal party, I presented him with a signed print of Big Jack.

Hanging with Earl Cate & Levon Helm's Bandmate Jim Weider

The 2022 pre-party for the Delta Roots Music Festival was held at the Delta Dirt Distillery, where I had a chance to mingle with Earl Cate, Levon Helm's Bandmate, Jim Weider, and other performers at the festival.

Levon's Anna Lee at the Delta Roots Music Festival Party

With Arkansas Blues Legend, Gil Franklin

Hanging with Earl Cate & Levon Helm's Bandmate Jim Weider

Since the 2022 Delta Roots Music Festival was a tribute to Levon Helm, it was attended by the legendary Anna Lee, who was immortalized in The Band's song "The Weight". Super Chicken performs in the background.

With Arkansas Blues Legend, Gil Franklin

I'm a long-time listener of "Blues House Party", a long-running KABF radio show hosted by Deb Finney. I surprised Deb and Gil Franklin, who wrote and performs her theme song, with a painting of Gil at an actual Blues House Party at her house.

With Little Rock Jazz Man, Rodney Block

With Arkansas Blues Legend, Gil Franklin

One of Little Rock's best known musicians, Rodney Block, was one of the inspirations for me when I painted "Startime", so I presented Rodney with a signed print of it at one of his neighborhood Pop-Up parties.