The paintings of Miami native John La Huis are dynamic enough to seem channeled by multiple artists from various dimensions. Whether depicting bits of nature, iconic human figures, or scenes from the day-to-day around him—presented as flatworks or dreamily embedded onto the sides of cubes—they are all richly abstracted, representing both a distance from and close relationship to reality. They are as important for what they are missing as for what they contain—in their fragmented restraint, they become both sculptural and referential of something larger. Paintings of flora appear almost collaged; a boat on a heavy, navy-blue background exists only by the thread of a quick line; a cowboy emerges from and disappears into a grey backdrop, powder-blue dots that may or may not have anything to do with his form creating an accompanying pattern.
This is why they are fitting inclusions for Michael Dawkins Home in the Miami Design District, which prides itself on toeing a harmonious balance between nuanced, minimal design and complex form. While the showroom specializes in furniture and interior design, founder Dawkins’ own background in fashion has lent him a unique sensibility around shape, function, and the relationship between a body and an object. Says Dawkins, “La Huis’ work is deceptively simple yet incredibly complex, brilliantly conveying the exact sensibilities I strive to achieve in my interiors.”
John La Huis is an artist based in Miami. Painting is his predominate practice. He has exhibited both locally and globally, in Boca Raton, Miami, Atlanta, Georgia, and Athens, Greece, Rome, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain, among others. La Huis' work is presently on view at Michael Dawkins Home, an expansive space of unique furnishing, accessories and art including both classic pieces and more avant-garde finds from Dawkins’ travels. Visit the Michael Dawkins Home showroom at 3628 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami.
