new orleans painter:
john malta

shaped by memory, belief, and the permission to change


john malta approaches painting as a living practice rather than a finished statement. working from his studio in the french quarter of new orleans, he creates images shaped by memory, faith, and lived experience, allowing each work to remain open to revision, return, and transformation.

1103 royal street, new orleans

see john malta's artwork
A man with a bald head and a goatee, wearing a dark gray long-sleeve shirt, is sitting on a red upholstered chair and pointing at a painting on an easel. The scene appears to be an art gallery or studio with multiple paintings displayed on the walls in the background.
A box of acrylic paint tubes and a container holding paintbrushes on table at john malta's studio with an easel and a painting in the background.

painting is an ongoing conversation.

Close-up of a cracked and textured wooden surface showing grain patterns and natural cracks.
john malta's clay palette with paint and brushes sits on a table, with art supplies and paintings visible in the background.

john’s works are often revisited, scraped back, altered, and rebuilt, sometimes over years. earlier images are allowed to remain beneath the surface, visible through layers of paint and charcoal, carrying their own history forward.

learn more about john malta

john malta’s works resist preciousness.

Close-up of a black marble surface with white veins.
john malta cleric and rabbit
john malta looking back
john malta debating with the cat present
john malta march of saint john

across shifting bodies of work, certain figures reappear: historical and religious imagery, mythic forms, heroes, and questions rooted in faith.

these motifs act as points of continuity, reexamined and recontextualized over time. they are less symbols than touchstones, used to explore belief, memory, and the passage of time.

john malta's art studio with paintings on the walls and easels, a wooden table with art supplies, and vintage chairs, illuminated by a large spherical pendant light.

more about john malta:

johnhattonmalta - on instagram; follow for the latest releases and peek behind the curtain of john’s new orleans adventures

a tropical hideaway lies behind an 1831 quarter townhouse | nola.com

an eclectic victorian cottage in new orleans | apartment therapy

spotify playlists - known for excellent taste in music, here’s john’s spotify playlist collection

https://dureaufilm.com/ - john is featured in this documentary about fellow new orleans artist george dureau

new orleans cathedral collection - features several pieces of john malta original art

absolute arts - john’s profile among other artists

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