John Swartwout

Country where you live:

U.S.A.

City where you live:

Wisconsin Rapids

Website:

https://johnswartwout.squarespace.com

Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/johnswartwout_

Statement :

I remember in my youth spending countless hours building forts in the woods and

making things my family’s garage constantly. However, I don’t recall a time, when my

mind wasn’t full of questions. I feel these two elements brought me to art. Much later, I

find myself making art that asks questions.

For years my work has maneuvered back and forth between the disciplines of 2D, 3D,

and film always probing and questioning. Many times I find pushing the phys-

ical limits between each of the areas raises more questions, which I find becomes more

interesting. Really, it has become my comfort zone as an artist, who is content on the

outskirts of usual approaches, skating the peripheral.

Equally important to the above mentioned, I grew up in in the typical

Upper-Midwestern family environment seeping and I mean….seeping

with dry humor, which I believe seeped into my work as well. Laughter for me be-

comes an important additional vehicle for art. It’s a powerful force and I firmly believe

humor is one of the most effective ways of communicating the truth. Ultimately, my

Quote:

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that you very existence is an act of rebellion", Hunter S. Thompson

Balance

Draw!

Sun Bleached

Wicked Garden

Bio:

John Swartwout (b. 1971) grew up in a rural community outside the township of Pine River, Wisconsin. There he spent countless hours as a kid building forts throughout large patches of woods, around his parents home with his brother. He was always making things in the family garage; however, he once went to his father’s metal shop and was surrounded by metal working machines that spun, twirled, hissed, and glistened. It had such an aﬀect that to this day you can find elements of this in his work. Just as important, he grew up in in the typical upper-midwestern environment seeping and I mean……….seeping with dry humor, which I think seeped into his work as well. Many years have passed and he went on to graduate from two art schools, which were Viterbo University and UW-Madison. After which, his travels took him to Britain, Germany, and Northwestern Ontario. During his time abroad, he had the honor of working as a community artist through ArtsAccess and wrangled teenagers for YAK: youth arts council. He has participated in numerous group and solo shows ranging from museums to film festivals. Eventually, he moved back to his home state of Wisconsin, where he lives with his wife Birgit and his son Samuel and daughter Lianna.