Jon Crocker grew up in Colorado, sketching and painting from childhood. He studied Fine Arts at Colorado State University where his talent developed, particularly in portrait and figurative studies. Jon very quickly realized that the economic potential in fine art was limited, so he went into advertising, but always promised himself he would return to his dream of someday becoming the “comfortable” starving artist he always hoped to be. As so often happens, however, life took its own turns. He married and had two beautiful daughters; established, managed, and eventually sold, two Advertising Agencies.

At the height of his career, Jon left the business world - not to fulfill his dream of becoming an artist but to help care for his father, his wife and one of his precious daughters, all of whom were suffering with terminal illnesses.   After several years of care these three beloved family members peacefully left this life, all within a seven month period. Jon was numb and empty. One morning, he woke up and realized it was finally time to draw and paint. He dusted off his palette and brushes, stretched a canvas, and his first painting was of his wife and daughter, the second of his father, and the third of his best friend who had also unexpectedly died the year before.

 

Jon found that his time spent painting was cathartic and spiritual.  “I felt as though my hand was being guided, capturing the true essence of each person on canvas.”  The mother of one of his painting subjects commented, “Jon has not only captured my son’s likeness, but his soul". Now Jon has become an award winning portrait artist painting mainly in watercolor and drawing in charcoal and pencil. “I paint the personality, the energy and character of the person".

 

Painting full time Jon now straddles the Atlantic Ocean with studios, shows and clients in Phoenix and Colorado (where his beautiful daughter lives) and he now resides in the picturesque village of Ballymore Eustace in Ireland. Loving to paint “characters,” he fell in love with the Irish people.  “Their faces are incredible studies in personality, with a happy disposition and a great attitude to life.”  Jon’s life long dream of painting for his living is finally being fulfilled.