Jon Henry Art for Sale and Sold Prices

b. 1916 - d. 1990

Artist and professional illustrator, Jon Henry (1916-1990), was a native of Philadelphia and first-born son of immigrant parents from Ireland (his pop) and Germany (his mom). At the age of 5 he was placed in an orphanage to be raised after his mom died in childbirth and his father was unable to raise him and his infant brother. While Jon had a difficult time as a youngster, it did not diminish the creative spirit within him.He attended the Philadelphia College of Industrial Arts and studied with Philadelphia artist, Abe Hankins. At 29, he moved to New York City with his wife, Gertrude and young daughter, Nancy. It was here that his second daughter, Susan, was born.Jon was employed as a commercial artist and photographer, studied at the New School with Rudolph Arnheim and Louis Schanker, and studied at artist Robert Motherwell's studio. He was Art Director for Grey Advertising, one of the larger advertising firms in New York City, and also became a member of Camino Art Gallery. For almost 40 years he was a member of that elite group identified as "New York artists." He then worked for the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY) and later as a freelance commercial artist in Newton, MA. Retired to Gainesville in 1986 and continued to paint and participate in numerous art festivals. He joined the Center of Modern Art, the Gainesville Friends of Jazz, the Gainesville Fine Arts Association and the Artitorium. Jon Henry primarily worked in painting and collage although when it came to art his interests and talent incorporated much more. He created works in photography, graphic arts, woodcuts, murals, sculptural displays, multi-media productions using music and multiple slide projectors, created colorful jigsaw puzzles, "color-in" books of abstract art, as well as black 'n white postcards featuring his humorous graphic commentary on the art world. Jon also wrote and played rhythm guitar; always finding inspiration in his love of jazz. "What interests me in painting," he wrote, "are color shapes placed at random -- consciously and spontaneously developed, modified or eliminated, until an exciting balance and interplay between negative and positive areas occur. I try to express visually what Whitney Balliett said about jazz, "the element of surprise." Jon Henry died in Gainesville, Florida, on March 5, 1990, at his home. He was 73.