{"Id":7843,"Name":"John Whytock","Biography":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Whytock was born in Glendale, California in 1950. He will tell you he is really just a guitar player, having been a professional musician throughout high school and as a young adult. As touring does not work well for family life, his father-in-law got him a job as a carpenter\u0026rsquo;s apprentice. It was not until after spending 6 years in that profession and achieving journeyman status that he realized construction was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He had a talent for drawing but could not afford a formal education with a young family. With the idea that illustration would allow him to learn his craft and make a living at the same time, he began working toward his goal.\u0026nbsp; Every evening after work in between caring for his young children, he would draw for hours working to improve his skills. The portfolio he developed in those evening hours eventually led to employment as an artist and, in 1979, the beginning of his seven year apprenticeship - two years as an in-house illustrator, and five years in a mural studio, becoming principal artist in both establishments. In 1986 he ventured out on his own upon winning a mural competition for Mission San Juan Capistrano. He spent many years painting murals and fine art before receiving several long-term mural and diorama commissions for the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum, and The Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, both located in Springfield, Missouri, and the last of which was completed at the end of 2017.\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003ESince the beginning of 2018 he has returned his focus to fine art, winning numerous awards from various organizations. He was honored to have three of his works chosen as finalists in the prestigious 14th International ARC Salon. His work has been published in Plein Air Magazine, and he was a contributing author for their online publication, Outdoor Painter. John is a member of numerous local and national professional organizations including: International Guild of Realism, The Society of Animal Artists, Oil Painters of America, Portrait Society of America and is a Signature Member of both National Oil and Acrylic Painters\u0026rsquo; Society and Heartland Art Club. His most recent honor is recognition as an ARC Associate Living Master.\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Beauty, like truth, exists. And we, as human beings, have an almost divine capacity to recognize it. Art, for me, is an expression in paint of what my heart feels when my eyes are opened to the vast and amazing splendor of creation. Despite the myriad struggles and changes on the path of a career artist, this one unchanging fact remains: I paint because if I did not, my heart might explode. When a kindred spirit is touched while viewing my painting and feels that same infilling, that same indescribable longing and appreciation for our marvelous world, I consider that work a success\u0026rdquo;.\u0026nbsp; John Whytock\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","Awards":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2021\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAugusta Plein Air Art Festival\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022Best of Show\u0022\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022Best Acrylic\u0022 \u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022Artist\u0027s Choice Award\u0022\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022People\u0027s Choice Award\u0022\u003Cbr /\u003E\u00221st Place Purchase Prize\u0022 \u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022Honorable Mention, Acrylics\u0022\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGasconade Fall Plein Air\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022First Place\u0022\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022First Place - Quick Paint Professional Artist Division\u0022\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022Honorable Mention\u0022\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOPA 2021 Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022Bronze Medal\u0022\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENOAPS Best of America Small Works 2021\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0022Best Composition\u0022\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESummit Art Plein Air Festival\u003Cbr /\u003E\u00223rd Place\u0022\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2020\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E9th Annual Plein Air Salon Monthly Competition April 2020\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;1st Place Overall\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003EIGOR 2020 Spring Salon Online Exhibition\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best Wildlife and Animal\u0026rdquo;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2019\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2019 Gasconade Fall Plein Air\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;1st Place Purchase Prize\u0026rdquo; (2)\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E2019 NOAPS 29th Best of America National Juried Exhibition\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Award of Excellence\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E14th International ARC Salon\u003Cbr /\u003EFinalist\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E9th Annual Plein Air Salon Bi-Monthly Competition June/July 2019\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best Western\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E8th Annual Plein Air Salon Bi-Monthly Competition Dec/Jan 2018-19\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best Artist Over 65\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2018\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOPA 2018 Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Bronze Medal\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003ESpringfield Art Museum: An Evening with Studio 55\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best of Show\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E8th Annual Plein Air Salon Bi-Monthly Competition Oct/Nov 2018\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best Landscape\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best Western\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E2018 NOAPS Best of America National Juried Exhibition\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Award of Merit\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003ENOAPS 2018 Fall Online International Exhibition\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;3rd Place\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E8th Annual Plein Air Salon Bi-Monthly Competition June/July 2018\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;1st Place Overall\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best Building\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best Figure\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003EFresh Gallery 2018 Open Juried Exhibition\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026ldquo;Best of Show\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr /\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":false,"HasRelationships":false,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":false,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":false,"TotalArtworks":26}