While it’s neither completely outsider art nor folk art, the work of John Randall Nelson shares common ground with those styles, particularly in its rawness and nonconformity. He uses symbols and archetypes in his paintings and sculptures, having developed a distinct artistic vocabulary over the years that materializes in his work in text and graphic elements.
Nelson was born in Princeton, Illinois, but works out of Phoenix, Arizona. Early visits to the Art Institute of Chicago introduced Nelson to painters such as Jim Nutt, Roger Brown and Karl Wirsum. He decided to move to Arizona to study at Arizona State University where he earned his MFA in 1996.
Nelson’s subjects are as playful as they are peculiar — his textured paintings, which feature collages, layers of oil paint and an integration of text, feature everything from animals and flowers to imagined human-animal hybrids or everyday objects such as shoes and bicycles. Many paintings are populated with brightly colored polka dot patterns while his Pop art-inflected steel sculptures take on fantastical forms and draw on the Pattern and Decoration movement, which emerged in cities such as Los Angeles and New York during the early 1970s.
Nelson has exhibited all over the United States. His sculptures can be found at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, the Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Nelson’s work is held in a number of private, public and corporate collections including Apple Inc., Phoenix Public Art and Design, the American Folk Art Museum and many other institutions.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of original John Randall Nelson paintings and other art.
Trust Me, Abstract Mixed Media Painting, Whimsical Style, 2010-
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
Original art by John Randall Nelson depicting a horse with characteristics of Pop Art and Folk Art combined with a whimsical, illustrative style. The vibrant colors, cartoonish figur...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Escape
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
Original art by John Randall Nelson depicting a bicycle with characteristics of Pop Art and Folk Art combined with a whimsical, illustrative style. The vibrant colors, cartoonish fig...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Wavering Wish
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
John Randall Nelson's "Wavering Wish" presents a deep black background accented with subtle hints of blue. The artwork depicts a dice, outlined in vivid yellow and blue, floating in ...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Dead Eyed Cowboy
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
Original art by John Randall Nelson depicting a cowboy with characteristics of Pop Art and Folk Art combined with a whimsical, illustrative style. The vibrant colors, cartoonish figu...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Ousting Luck
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
John Randall Nelson's "Ousting Luck" features a black wishbone set against a warm-toned off-white backdrop. This piece, created with acrylic and mixed m...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Enchanted by Life Itself
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
"Enchanted by Life Itself" by John Randall Nelson is an acrylic and mixed media painting on panel, measuring 19" x 19". This vibrant artwork features a bold red and pink butterfly se...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Vibrant Abstract Mixed Media Painting of Flowers, 2010
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
Original Art: A mixed media painting by John Randall Nelson depicting vibrant flowers in a vase on a table. John Nelson's works often feature a central image superimposed over a col...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Rejects the Complexities of Life
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
"Rejects the Complexities of Life" by John Randall Nelson is a 19" x 19" acrylic and mixed media piece on panel. The artwork features a symbolic glass of wine placed against a vibran...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
$3,400
H 36 in W 48 in
Fruity Ramen Alchemy: ARRIVAL - Meditative Abstract Blue Tone Painting on Canvas
By Jason DeMeo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Abstract minimalist artist Jason DeMeo presents a collection of artworks designed to engage viewers in a meditative experience, drawing them closer to the enduring ideals of truth, b...
Gold Leaf
$2,225
H 36 in W 24 in
Glimpses No. 14 - Green and Gold Geometric Abstract Painting
By Alexander Eulert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Alexander Eulert's original mixed media paintings on wood panels are abstract propositions of worlds where divergent forces coalesce into harmonious geometric interactions. He draws ...
Gold Leaf
$6,050
H 62 in W 62 in
Jit Madness - Abstract Contemporary Organic Shape Mixed Media Artwork on Canvas
By Rue Bootay
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rue Bootay, a New York-born artist now rooted in the vibrant artistic landscape of Los Angeles, navigates the avant-garde realm of nonrepresentational surrealism with a style uniquel...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$645
H 12 in W 12 in
Fields No. 21 - Turquoise Blue Gold Organic Abstract Geometric Original Artwork
By Alexander Eulert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Alexander Eulert's original mixed media paintings on wood panels are abstract propositions of worlds where divergent forces coalesce into harmonious geometric interactions. He draws ...
Metal, Gold Leaf
Lili Ocean Abstract Mixed Media
By Malgosia Kiernozycka
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Lili Ocean Part 1 Mixed media: acrylic, ink marker, pastel on paper, white frame under plexiglass. Malgosia Kiernozycka was born in Wroclaw, Po...
Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Paper
$15,000
H 40 in W 50 in D 1.5 in
"Love for Meadow VIII", Colorful Bright Abstract Painting, Textured Impasto
By Sveta Hessler
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Love for Meadow VIII" 2026 Acrylic and mixed media on stretched canvas Signed on verso. "Love for Meadow VIII" is a richly textured contemporary ...
Canvas, Stretcher Bars, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$2,025
H 36 in W 24 in
Streams No. 9 - Organic Abstract Geometric Original Painting Gold Green Red
By Alexander Eulert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Alexander Eulert's original mixed media paintings on wood panels are abstract propositions of worlds where divergent forces coalesce into harmonious geometric interactions. He draws ...
Gold Leaf
$795
H 14 in W 11 in
154 Squares V.4 - Modern Colorful Abstract Geometric Squares Acrylic Painting
By Brandon Neher
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Neher is a California artist whose original paintings embody a profound exploration of space, structure, and balance, infused with a touch of modern minimalism. Drawing inspi...
Wood, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$2,500
H 39 in W 24 in
Reflections No. 9 - Organic Abstract Geometric Original Green Gold Painting
By Alexander Eulert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Alexander Eulert's original mixed media paintings on wood panels are abstract propositions of worlds where divergent forces coalesce into harmonious geometric interactions. He draws ...
Gold Leaf
Beach Blvd - Modern Acrylic Beige Monochrome Resin Artwork
By Ricky Hunt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ricky Hunt’s mixed media minimalist wall art is influenced by his tumultuous past that led to a paradigm shift in creativity and life. He covers the wood panel with layers of acrylic...
Resin, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$950
H 20 in W 16 in D 0.75 in
"Timeless Flight" Mixed Media Abstract Expressionist Composition on Canvas
By Charles David Francis
Located in Soquel, CA
"Timeless Flight" Mixed Media Abstract Expressionist Composition on Canvas Textured abstract composition by California artist Charles "Dave" Francis (American, 1951-2018). This piec...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$635
H 9 in W 9 in
Sunrise II - Original Vibrant Yellow Tone Textured Abstract Artwork Framed
By Frederic Paul
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The delicate and poetic artworks of painter Frederic Paul reference his Asian roots in expressive and elaborate compositions. Inspired by the bold colors, spices, flora, and landscap...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Rice Paper
Sold
H 15 in W 15 in D 15 in
Suite Three of Clubs, Three of Diamonds, Queen of Hearts, Spade Moxie
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
Suite Three of Clubs, Three of Diamonds, Queen of Hearts, Spade Moxie is a suite of paintings by John Randall Nelson that are playful mixed media works, each measuring 15" x 15" on ...
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Spade Moxie
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Tulsa, OK
John Randall Nelson’s mixed media on panel, "Spade Moxie" showcases a vibrant and textured interpretation of the spade symbol. Using acrylic and mixed media on panel, Nelson layers a...
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Sing For Me
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works are layered with his own personal language consisting of patterns, symbols, and archetypes that may not m...
Mixed Media
Where She Stops and The World Begings
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works are layered with his own personal language consisting of patterns, symbols, and archetypes that may not m...
Mixed Media
Higgeldy Piggeldy
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works are layered with his own personal language consisting of patterns, symbols, and archetypes that may not m...
Mixed Media
Time Travel
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Time Travel", mixed media on panel — 36 x 48 x 2 inches — 2016. John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works are layered...
Sold
H 70 in W 48 in D 2 in
She Points to Comets, to Thunder, to the Migrating Herds
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"She Points to Comets, to Thunder, to the Migrating Herds", mixed media on panel — 70 x 48 x 2 inches. John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works ...
Mixed Media, Panel
Polka Dots No. 51
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Polka Dots No. 51", mixed media on panel — 15 x 13 x 2 inches — 2016 "Polka Dots No. 51" features a textural multicolor bullseye on a rust colored background. This aluminum panel is...
Aluminum
Cycoplasm
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Cycoplasm", mixed media on panel — 36 x 48 x 2 inches — 2016. John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works are layered with his own personal language consisting of patterns, symbols, and archetypes that may not make any literal sense but play on subconscious associations. His paintings are thick with poured pigment, saturated washes and worked with layers of drawing and collage. The main subject of "Cycloplasm" is a lone silhouetted bicycle. There might be more to this old bike...
Mixed Media, Panel
Dope
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Dope", mixed media on panel — 48 x36 x 2 inches — 2016. John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works are layered with his own personal language c...
Mixed Media, Panel
Hare Daze
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Hare Daze", mixed media on panel — 22 x 30 x 2 inches — 2016. "Hare Daze" depicts a silhouetted rabbit mid-sprint. The background is richly textural with a geometric pattern run...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Panel
Not Taught to Fear the Things I Fear
By John Randall Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Not Taught to Fear the Things I Fear", mixed media on panel — 48 x 36 x 2 inches — 2016. John Randall Nelson is an Arizona-based painter and sculptor. Nelson’s works are layer...
Acrylic, Mixed Media, Panel, Wood Panel