John was a regular in the art studio for almost ten years. While he often had trouble engaging with people, he liked spending creative time with his fellow students. He had a storied life, an only child raised by his widowed father on their family farm. It’s doubtful that he was ever diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, but it became clear to those who knew him as an adult. John worked in factories, machine shops, wherever he could find a job. He sometimes lived in housing provided by his church, sometimes in his truck, sometimes at the Rescue Mission.
Regardless of circumstances, he painted relentlessly, transporting bins of art supplies and canvases wherever he landed. When he passed away in 2016, his pastor found more than 70 paintings, many drawings, carvings, and reference materials in the bed of his truck. Few people appreciated his outsider/visionary style, and almost no one wanted any of his art. His teacher and friend, Y art coordinator Suzanne Gray, saved the collection from the dust bin of history. It seemed that even though John lived a simple life, he had some savings held at his church. After his death, the pastor donated that money to the YMCA, which created an art scholarship fund in John’s name.
