First Thought, John Fitzsimmons, 2022, oil on canvas, 72 x 96 in. / 182.88 x 243.84 cm.

Psychological Figurative Paintings by John Fitzsimmons

April 19, 2026 Gavin Coates

Featured image: First Thought, John Fitzsimmons, 2022, oil on canvas, 72 x 96 in. / 182.88 x 243.84 cm.

John Fitzsimmons’ paintings Aether, Sorrowing Statue of Flesh, and The Edge of Sleep explore the human figure through dramatic lighting, psychological tension, and carefully staged environments.

John Fitzsimmons creates atmospheric oil paintings that explore the human figure through dramatic lighting, color contrast, and psychologically charged compositions.

Working in oil on panel and canvas, Fitzsimmons uses color contrasts and directional light to create emotionally charged scenes that feel suspended between reality and introspection. His compositions often isolate figures within simplified spaces, allowing gesture, posture, and illumination to communicate complex emotional states. Across these works, the body becomes a vessel through which themes of vulnerability, identity, and contemplation emerge.

Aether, John Fitzsimmons, 2026, oil on panel, 36 x 24 in. / 91.44 x 60.96 cm.

In Aether, Fitzsimmons presents a solitary female figure moving across a luminous yellow ground while framed by deep blue shadows. The figure appears backlit, her dark silhouette cutting through the glowing environment behind her. Trees in the background suggest an outdoor setting, yet the intense color contrast creates an almost theatrical atmosphere. The painting’s strong complementary palette heightens the sense of mystery surrounding the figure, whose forward movement implies transition or passage through space. The title evokes the idea of an invisible medium or atmosphere, reinforcing the work’s focus on light and intangible presence.

Sorrowing Statue of Flesh, John Fitzsimmons, 2024, oil on canvas, 35 x 38 in. / 88.9 x 96.52 cm.

Sorrowing Statue of Flesh depicts two female figures positioned against a vivid red background. One figure stands exposed, draped with fabric that frames her body, while the second appears cloaked in darkness with only a hand emerging from the shadowed form. The intense red field removes environmental context, transforming the scene into a symbolic stage where gesture and posture dominate. Fitzsimmons’ treatment of the human body emphasizes vulnerability while also referencing classical sculpture through the figures’ stillness and compositional balance. The contrast between revealed and concealed forms introduces a tension between exposure and concealment.

The Edge of Sleep, John Fitzsimmons, 2026, oil on canvas, 72 x 48 in. / 182.88 x 121.92 cm.

In The Edge of Sleep, two male figures occupy a dark, undefined interior space. One figure appears partially illuminated by light entering from the right, while the other is rendered in cooler blue tones, receding into shadow. Their movements seem slow and deliberate, suggesting the ambiguous moment between waking and dreaming implied by the title. Fitzsimmons uses subtle gradations of light to model the bodies, allowing the surrounding darkness to intensify the psychological mood. The painting evokes themes of aging, introspection, and the fragile boundary between consciousness and rest.

Across Aether, Sorrowing Statue of Flesh, and The Edge of Sleep, John Fitzsimmons explores the expressive potential of light, color, and human form. His figures exist within carefully controlled environments where illumination and shadow shape the emotional tone of each scene. By isolating the body within simplified settings, Fitzsimmons draws attention to gesture, presence, and psychological atmosphere. Together, these works reflect a meditation on the vulnerability of human experience and the ways light can reveal both physical form and inner states.

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