John Maitland’s decorative paintings of people and animals, set amidst mystical landscapes and rich in symbolism, are heavily influenced by the iconography of Byzantine art. Painted outdoors and then exposed to weather, Maitland’s surfaces erode and acquire an aged, weathered appearance. Forgoing preparatory sketches or drawing directly on the canvas, he paints in broad and vigorous brushstrokes, leaving his mistakes visible and some areas. “Some works will be spontaneous while others evolve over a period of time,” he says. “Whatever the case it is my intention to relate a story or moment with a little bit of soul, and hopefully the viewer looks beneath the surface and responds to all that emotion.” Maitland uses his work as a means of creating meditative experiences for his viewers.