John Aldecoa Art

Gifted with the skill of creating stories through pictures, John Aldecoa has been an artist ever since he was a little boy putting pencil to paper. He grew up with his passion firmly ingrained in his mind and hands, and he cultivated it by drawing anything and everything he saw.

 

John joined the Army in 1948, and it took him to places all around the country, from northern California to Kansas. His experience only strengthened his desire to become an artist as he discovered beautiful landscapes, met interesting people and witnessed fascinating events. John was released on honorable discharge from the Army in 1950, and although he tried to seek out a career that paralleled his passion, he was forced to settle for an array of jobs that never satisfied his goal of working as an artist.

 

After a few years of unfulfilling work, in 1954, John was admitted to the Chouinard Art Institute, located in Los Angeles (now known as the California Institute of the Arts). While in school, he learned to hone his skill, which enabled him to perfect his technique and develop his own distinct individual style.

 

Once John graduated in 1956, he briefly struggled to find a job, until he finally found one at a company that fulfilled his passion to be an artist and sustained his family financially – painting billboards for Foster & Kleiser Outdoor Advertising. He worked for them for over 20 years, using oils to paint all types of subjects on billboards, from people and products to cars and liquor. In his last 5 years with them, he had his own business and subcontracted with Foster & Kleiser, Universal Studios and other large companies.

 

John retired in 1990, but it never stopped him from doing what he loves to do – creating stories through pictures. To this day, he continues his work as an artist, painting various pictures in his preferred medium, oils. His favorite subjects are a reflection of John himself – portraits that capture the intricate details and emotions of a person; breathtaking ‘Old West’ scenes that bring cowboys, Native Americans and horses to life; and still life that catches the intense beauty of objects. John maintains his inspiration by traveling through the American Southwest several times a year, and it is evident not only in his paintings, but in the numerous awards he has received from art shows and galleries in cities throughout southern California.

 

John lives in Peoria, Az and continues to paint beautiful portrayals of life as we know it now and as it once was.