Welcome!
Kind Owl Gallery & Print Shop is the home of collage artist John Withey.
Hello and welcome to Kind Owl. I started this gallery and print shop as an outlet for the things I love to create, especially collage.
This first print collection has developed in the last year and began life as a response to music and a desire to create imaginary album artwork. That led into pop art-inspired experiments which became something of their own and a joy to create, reminding me of the fun I had as a child, drawing for hours and disappearing into another world.
I work digitally, starting by collecting fragments such as printed textures, images, old diagrams and drawings. These pieces often spark ideas that grow into rough compositions and gradually become part of a larger imagined world.
What I love about collage is the ability to create something new from old or forgotten pieces. There is an element of surprise and wonder that comes out of selecting and combining things, and when it works, it often suggests unusual experiences and imagery that lie somewhere between memory, imagination and dreams.
That space, a little beyond the tangible, is what I go looking for.
I’ve only just begun to explore the possibilities of collage and look forward to creating so much more. Thank you for taking the time to look around and for your interest in my work.
John Withey
Founder and Artist, Kind Owl Gallery.