John is a Philadelphia native with a BA in Visual Studies from the Tyler School of Art. Being acutely color-blind, he developed a natural preference for working in grayscale and a deep fascination with expressive linework. As a child, he was drawn to the illustrations of Shel Silverstein and Chuck Jones, captivated by their subtle unease and subliminal horror. This early fascination sparked an appreciation for the visceral and grotesque, leading to a style akin to the works of Dada and Expressionist artists such as Otto Dix and Egon Schiele.

In recent years, John’s work has become more rooted in charm and storytelling, focusing on original ideas while still carrying forward his distinctive grasp of the visceral and grotesque—qualities that inform both his cartooning and caricature. Most recently, he has been deeply inspired by Heinrich Kley, studying Kley’s dynamic rendering style, lively gestures, and masterful compositions.

Working primarily in ink, John embraces the immediacy and spontaneity of drawing, allowing each line to feel alive on the page. He lets his subconscious guide his artistic choices, aiming for a balance of expressiveness and ingenuity that delights both himself and his viewers. Through lively hatching and nuanced rendering, he creates depth that enriches his portraits. Tireless in his pursuit of capturing the “emotional caricature”—the essence of a subject’s personality and lived experience—John seeks to emphasize what makes each individual uniquely human.