San Francisco based artist John Kraft was born in Los Angeles in 1967. He was selected as a Featured Artist by Apple, and his art has been included in Dwell Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, ARTnews, and Modern Painters.

John's art has received coverage by the Los Angeles Times and MacWorld UK and can also be found in the The Artful Home. Shelley Esaak from About.com profiled John as an 'Artist You Should Know'. John also recently completed a private exhibition at Intel's worldwide heaquarters in California.

John's style is unique and playful, but with a mature edge. Bold colors and strong black lines help to define and communicate the themes and emotions represented in his contemporary art. Primarily a self-taught artist, Kraft has had periods of independent study in both Europe and the Far East. John currently lives in the S.F. Bay Area with his wife, Nikki Einfeld and their daughter, Sienna.

 

Joy. Energy. Love.

My journey as an artist arguably started at birth, but my work, in tangible form, has been in development for just over twenty years. Fourteen years ago I found what I consider to be my voice and my vocabulary as an artist. With a consistent palette and use of both strong color and line, this vocabulary has freed me to focus more on the story I wish to tell and less on the words I use in the telling of that story.

The recurring figures represented in many of my pieces have made their own journey as well. In earlier work they were lonely or lost souls fighting against excess and inner conflict, but now they are exclusively celebratory, loving and joyful – a direct reflection of the happiness and joy I’ve found in my own life with my wife, Nikki, and my daughter, Sienna.

My process has evolved over the years from the use of acrylics and pastels on wood panel or canvas to what is now a true composite of both traditional and digital painting techniques. This includes the creation of key elements with acrylics and pastels, digitization of those elements, and finally refinement of composition, color and scale within the digital space. I love the flexibility of working digitally and the myriad of “what-if” scenarios that I can explore. The added benefit of this approach is that the work can then be expressed in various media, whether it is paper, canvas, or more durable materials – all from the same source composition.

The Joy of creation
The Energy of strong color and line
The Love that inspires and is celebrated in my work

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, “My desire is that my life continues to imitate my art.”

[John Kraft - Spring 2009]