Artist Bio

His work is a personal view of the emotions of a spot of sunlight, or the mystery of a long shadow. The goal is to portray a dramatic impression of the subject, and draw the imagination of the viewer into that impression, with the hope that each time one looks at the painting, something new is discovered. With John's art, it's OK to stare.

John uses the vibrant color and spontaneous qualities of watercolor to capture the feeling of light juxtaposed against dark to create a dramatic and mysterious look at God's natural beauty in landscape. His work is a personal view of the emotions of a spot of sunlight, or the mystery of a long shadow. The goal is to portray a dramatic impression of the subject, and draw the imagination of the viewer into that impression, with the hope that each time one looks at the painting, something new is discovered. With John's art, it's OK to stare.

John grew up with a "knack" for drawing, and spent time drawing cars and spaceships, and other things near and dear to a young boy. But time spent with a pencil and paper was not a top priority when competing against sports of all kinds, or just hanging out with the guys. In high school art classes, John found an interest in watercolor with Nels Olsen, and finally in college under the instruction of Ben Steele, a true love of watercolor struck. Perhaps it was because he is impatient, or because John found the spontaneous and often unpredictable qualities of the medium more challenging.

John studied with Bruce Haughey in Billings, and with internationally acclaimed watercolorist and teacher, Tony Couch. After seeing a sample of John's recent work, Tony commented "I can see I taught you well". He continues to be a student of watercolor and has read and studied books too numerous to mention. Looking beyond the variety of artistic styles, John continues to explore the portrayal of light on the landscape, and growth in his understanding and technique.