“A work of art is a world in itself reflecting senses and emotions of the artist's world. “- Hans Hofmann. The expressive power of art has empowered John to channel his emotions through his creativity. Art has also been an outlet for his creative energy and gift allowing him to develop his new visionary talent. John has specialized in creating portrait and landscape collages. His art has been on exhibit at Outsider Art Fair in New York, the SOFA show in Chicago and the Davis Art Center in Florida to name a few. John’s acclaim has resulted in him being featured in magazine articles and books like The Folk Art Messenger, Boston Globe and in the book “A Primer on Autism Spectrum Disorder”, edited by Dr. Christopher McDougle, Director of the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has also been awarded the Award of Distinction by the Folk Art Society of America.

How does being creative help you to explore your emotions?J: It is an outlet or channel. I feel a sense of calmness and serenity when I get lost in it. Depending on the subject I try to imagine how the character felt or was thinking. I wonder what made those people tick. I like to imagine what were their ambitions and aspirations. I often try to identify with the emotions of the subjects when I’m creating a portrait. My landscapes help me to think about different emotions as well. I try to evoke a certain emotional response such as being awe-struck by a landscape.

What is your most memorable work and why?J: Sacagawea is my most memorable work. She was my first female figure, a break from the military work I had been doing. I am proud of how the elements came together: the Native American details, the touches of fur (representing her fur-trapper husband), the western light on her face, the depth achieved in the background showing the Bitterroot Mountains of her youth, the complexity of the composition offset by the simplicity of her face.

What challenges did you face during your school days? How did you motivate yourself to face those challenges?J: Mostly anything to do with socializing and stimuli were challenging for me. When I was in junior high school I didn’t have a good way to communicate and only knew what I had learned from movies and television shows. I struggled to understand the simple give and take of a conversation and became nervous. I would start talking about whatever came to mind and I would lose people. I had environments that were more controlled to go to when I was overwhelmed and it helped me a lot.

Which artist has inspired you the most?J: Romare Bearden. His collages are extraordinary.

What are your other hobbies?J: My hobbies include learning about history, watching anime, walking in nature, and sometimes watching sports.

What is your favorite place to visit?J: Provincetown, MA where I have a two-week exhibit each summer

What is your suggestion for families of children with disabilities to empower their children?J: Encourage them to explore their interests. Try to create a suitable setting for them depending on their disability by finding out what works best. Remember one thing doesn’t work for everyone. Discover a way to help them to function in their learning environments by adapting it to work for each individual. Learn about what motivates or drives them. For me, I’m driven by my interests and use my creativity so lessons that incorporated my interests worked best for me.

What advice would you give to someone in your community who are interested in exploring their creativity?J: Try many things to figure out what suits you and do your best to learn. If you don’t try you’ll never know. You have nothing to lose.