John Angell

I have been taking photos since I was in preschool. Some better than others…. And like most photographers I would rather be behind the lens than in front of it. I have always paid attention to graphic composition, texture and pattern, although it has taken a while for me to put it in those terms. I am not a photographic equipment geek, my cameras have worked well for my needs, but were not exquisite instruments. I generally work with existing light. I have thousands of photos going back decades that I had no idea what to do with… until now. My photo based encaustic work has given them a new life.

I went to the University of Michigan in the 1970’s and transferred to the Art School after a few semesters. There I took a variety of photo classes, but my favorite was an antique processing class from Phil Davis where I learned to make gum prints and cyanotypes. I liked how the images were altered by the process. I ended up with a BA in Art History and a BFA in photography because it was where I had the most credits in art school when it came time to graduate. I preferred drawing, painting and collage to time in the darkroom. When photography went digital, I welcomed it with open arms.

When I show at photographic galleries, I am often asked why my business card says “Artist” and not “Photographer.” Despite my formal training, I have never defined myself as a photographer. I simply use photographs as a jumping off point. I am less concerned with lighting, focus, equipment or F-stops than I am in the resulting image, no matter how it got there. In much the same way, when I travel, my lovely wife hangs on every word of the tour guide and takes notes on the historical significance of what we are seeing, while I am primarily focused on the visuals. The rest is just backstory….

Since 2021 my work has been accepted into over 100 juried exhibitions including 12 solo or small group shows. I have received honors in twelve of the shows I have entered including Cream of the Crop in 2024’s YoloArts Art Farm Exhibition and 4th Place in the prestigious Crocker Kingsley exhibition in 2022. My work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Encaustic Art in Cerillos, NM and many private collections throughout the US, as well as Tokyo and Strasbourg.