John Taft

Prior to that, John worked as a designer/art director in the television industry for eighteen years, primarily in New York City. His love of the West was instilled over multiple trips across this great country during his college years at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. At one point as he drove west to LA to begin a career in design, he took route 14 through the Bighorns. For a moment the thought occurred to him to stop and find a job on a ranch in the area and start painting the landscape. The idea gradually faded as he descended the mountains to continue on to California.

John has been in numerous national shows including the Coors Western Art show in Denver, where he won an Award of Excellence, New York’s Salmagundi Club’s American Masters show, several Oil Painters of America National shows where he has received top awards several times, and additionally has had numerous solo shows. In 2021 he received the Gold Award at the Oil Painters of America Western Regional exhibit. His most recent honor was being added to the permanent collection at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, Texas. He has been the subject of feature articles in both Southwest Art Magazine and Western Art and Architecture. John is an artist in residence with the Brinton Museum for the 2023 exhibit.