Clear Truth Art

09/12/2024

Hello, everyone! I wanted to take the time to personally thank everyone who came to support my art at my debut solo show in Indianapolis. Especially want to thank the Sahara staff who opened their doors to support local artists (and graciously staying open an extra hour). I am relishing in the community that I have found here over the past two years!

I am excited to officially announce that I will be serving as Gallery Coordinator for the Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery.

The Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery is powered by Arte Mexicano en Indiana and focused on uplifting the voices of marginalized communities + engaging in the struggle for liberation through arts & culture. Every month we transform Indianapolis Liberation Center to highlight BIPOC artists who tackle issues of social justice. I am excited to begin working on programming alongside a great team. Stay tuned for more to come!

Starting with no artistic background, I began using stencils and spray paint as a mode of political expression during the protests of 2020. Later these stencil experiments turned into my first works on canvas at the behest of Jessica Haug-Sigler and the community at Green Door who encouraged my burgeoning interest in graffiti & zines.

CLEAR TRUTH…is many things. Most importantly it is a community. I was never a professionally trained painter, nor a self taught protege — I am a primarily a community-based artist. Through my affiliation with Gluestick Zine CollectiveI have been able to be part of a team that brings literary and creative works to underserved communities in Indy. As a social worker I interact with these communities on a daily basis. I hope to take these experiences to continue the tradition of artists engaged in the struggle for liberation.

— Johnny ✊

07/01/2022

Incredibly grateful to be featured in this article in NWI Times! Next month one of my art pieces will be displayed in an exhibition in Bloomington with the Accrete Art Collective. The opening reception is July 8th and it will run until August 6th at the Arts Alliance Center.

I had the opportunity to speak about my art and spiritual practice with Joseph Pete who has been a constant supporter of local arts in the region. Thank you!

Read the article here!

Northwest Indiana artist John Willems will be exhibiting his his work in a show in Bloomington, his first exhibition outside the Region.

04/02/2022

Debut Art Show ✅
World Domination 🔜

Thanks to everyone who came out to support my first art show! It was definitely a fun time, 100x more thanks to my Mom, who supplied ample amounts of refreshments through the night!

Thanks to for always supporting me and creating a great space at the bookstore for weird creative people to get together to do weird creative things.

And final thanks to my meditation group who came out and provided the spark for my buddhist practice🙏

03/17/2022

Flyers for my upcoming solo show at Green Door Books! Show up for the Buddha, you’ll probably be granted unspeakable bliss in your next incarnations from the merit of coming to this art show

April 1st: 7pm-9pm
Green Door Books
325 Main St. Hobart IN

12/02/2021

Fudō Myō-ō

Buddhist deities aren’t always so peaceful.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTIfhAqLAoA/?utm_medium=share_sheet

“The name Fudo Myo-o means “the immovable or unshakable one.” He is one of five myo-o, or lords of light, whose threatening appearance guards the dharma. He is equipped to guide the spiritual traveler past temptation on the path to enlightenment. Fudo’s bulging eyes, piercing stare, and protruding fangs express the intensity of his wrath against evil. Seated on a stylized rock formation that symbolizes his steadfastness, he once held his attributes, a rope and sword, which were used to subdue evil forces and to cut through the ignorance that is the source of suffering.”

11/28/2021

Slaying Shutendōji (Johnny Willems, 2021)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSz0xNeHBuW/

One of the most dreaded monsters of Japanese folklore is the king of the oni, Shutendōji. Originally born human he was named Shutendōji, “little drunkard”, for his intense drinking habits at a young age. During a drunken tirade he adorned himself with an oni mask and began to terrorize the city priests only to come to find he was unable to take it off. He continued his life as a demon and grew a gang of other demons that would continue to terrorize Kyoto.

Finally, a band of heroes led by the legendary warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu assaulted Shutendōji’s palace, and with the help of some magical poison, were able to assault the oni band during a bout of heavy drinking. They cut off the drunken Shuten dōji’s head, but even after cutting it off, the head continued to bite at Minamoto no Yorimitsu.

Because the head belonged to an oni and was unholy, it was buried it outside of the city limits, at a mountain pass called Oinosaka. The cup and bottle of poison that Minamoto no Yorimitsu used are said to be kept at Nariai-ji temple in Kyoto.