'Neon Arcade'

As a Colorado Springs native, I am continually inspired by this state and the West. I have painted oil landscapes of our beautiful area for more than half of my life. I have watched my town and others evolve and change to larger and complicated cities.  Change is challenging, and the memories associated with time spent in these places hold an important place in my life. In a world of disposable everything, I am currently focused on painting urban landscapes as a way to record, preserve, and savor what has shaped my childhood and shaped Colorado. The old, the rusted, the abandoned have a beauty all their own. Not only are these moments an important part of our region, but an important part of my memories as a Colorado native. My canvas is a place where these images are saved from being forgotten as forward movement scrapes them from our lives.

Jon began making art from a very early age. He started as a child by taking painting and drawing classes at Bemis Art School in Colorado Springs. In high school Jon was taught by, and hugely inspired by, local Colorado Springs artist Floyd Tunson at Palmer High. Pop Art was a great influence on Jon’s early artwork with Tunson introducing him to Basquiat, Warhol, and Claes Oldenburg. Jon became very inspired by popular and graphic imagery.

Earning his BA in Studio Art at Knox College in Illinois, his passion for creating continued to grow. He learned to paint from life and built his knowledge of traditional landscapes. His painting was focused on an indirect painting method built from layering thin washes of paint to create a warm glow on the canvas. In college, the ideal landscape painting was taught with very traditional natural imagery. Though inspiring, Jon always yearned to take his easel to the railroad tracks and the back alleys.

Jon lives and works in Colorado Springs. Raising a family and teaching during the school year, creating art fills the night and weekends. Currently, he focuses his work on urban landscapes with a passion for recording and preserving the lonesome remains of decaying Colorado landmarks.