Interviewee:
John Wathne (He/Him)
In your words… Tell us about your organization, business, initiative.
I am a self taught artist who has painted for most of my life, having developed skills through trial and error, and techniques through experimentation. Always fascinated by the visual world around me, I have the opportunity to travel quite a bit throughout New England and the northeastern US. With my “day job” being a structural preservation engineer, I tend to see the world around me as an intricate 3-dimensional maze of shapes and colors that meld themselves into fascinating, geometric land or cityscapes. I photographically document what inspires me and attempt to portray it in 2-D on canvas, often subtly rearranging the scenery in order to best express what it is about it that moves me.
Tell us a bit about you and why you do what you do? Share your passions for your business, initiative, organization.
Beside paintings I have also created a model railroad installation of a gritty city of my imagination with vignettes in many buildings and LED lights. I also enjoy kayaking out to the islands in Salem Sound and ride the bike trails in Salem and Marblehead.
What role do you think your business plays in supporting a more creative community? OR your community in general. (Bonus! Why do you think a more creative community is important?)
Without the arts who would we be as a society? Art enriches all aspects of our lives…..
A quote by Thomas Moore…..”Art suspends life in the moment for contemplation.” The Creative Collective is such an important organization to bring creatives (who often create alone) together for sharing ideas and creating business opportunities.
What was the last book you read OR What was the last video you watched that made an impact on you?
Not sure
What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you or your business?
I’ve been struck by lightening twice. As far as my business our small engineering firm dominates the field in historic preservation throughout New England. I’ve had the opportunity to work on many fascinating projects in my career.
What is Creative Collective?
Creative Collective is a group of economic development strategists, small business supporters, activation specialists, and believers in the importance of the creative workforce. We foster growth, sustainability, and scalability for small businesses, creative thinkers, organizations, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Learn more and join Creative Collective at www.creativecollectivema.com/join
John Wathne Art
View their Member Listing
John Wathne Art: A Salem resident, self-taught artist, and engineer, John has painted most of his life, developing his skills through trial-and-error and techniques through experimentation. Always fascinated by the visual world, John has traveled extensively throughout New England and the Northeastern United States.
SEE LISTING
