Johnny McKee’s unbridled exploration

(Photo/Leo Soyfer) A sort of celestial Mark Rothko, the Indianapolis artist Johnny McKee, who curates for and has a studio in the Harrison Center, is a mysterious kind of man. Well known throughout the city, and a longtime member of its creative community, McKee has kept quite a bit of privacy behind his bushy beard. Yet recently, I had the opportunity to step into the art gallery of Marian University with him to view his latest exhibition, “Between Moments of Clarity,” and in doing so, get a glimpse into the inner workings of the mind of Indiana’s most enigmatic artist. The remnants of his highly successful January show “Beafterfore,” of which over half of his pieces were sold, this display makes for a perfect excerpt of both McKee’s works and his personal philosophy. Along with his depictions of clouds and stars for which he is most well known, “Between Moments of Clarity” features abstract expressionist pieces created by such diverse means as carving with a screw to more common practices such as drip painting. These experimental works of art, from the immensely intellectual to the highly humorous, ultimately work to showcase a man not afraid of letting his subconscious be...