John Kane
Oil painter

John Kane was born in New Hampshire in 1951. Art fascinated him as far back as he can remember, and he had a special interest in drawing during his years in high school. Music also preoccupied him and he had enough talent to begin playing in bands in elementary school. As soon as he was old enough to travel, he began a career as a professional musician, playing guitar with various local bands.

After high school, John studied drawing, painting and sculpture at the university of New Hampshire while continuing to play guitar and sing in an eclectic assortment of road bands. Eventually tiring of a musician's life on the road, he decided to move to New York City in 1979 and pursue a career as an illustrator.

Ater taking classes at the School of Visual Arts, he taught himself to use an airbrush and worked as a successful freelance illustrator in Manhattan for 17 years. His resume includes top publishers, record companies and major advertising agencies and design firms.

John has had a long-standing appreciation and love of landscape painting. His manner is most closely associated with American Impressionism and European Fauve Artists of the early 20th century. As a devoted plein air artist, working primarily outdoors rather than in a studio, he paints the great Delaware River Valley, and the surrounding rolling meadows of the remaining farmland of Bucks County. As many great American Painters, John paints year round, night or day and in all weather conditions.

John Kane has mastered the approach of direct observation, which he uses to keep the viewer well aware of the atmosphere and climate. With bold thick brushstrokes, he takes the viewer in and around the landscapes. Impasto, color temperature and composition beckon the viewer to experience the artist's journey.

John has shown in numerous juried shows throughout the area, most recently having been presented the Paul and Harriet Gratz Award at Phillip's Mill for Painting in the New Hope Impressionists Style.