John Gagne

From a young age, I immersed myself in the reproduction of rich imagery in classically illustrated children's books from fairy tales to fables. As I grew older, my interest in visual art leaned more toward the superb draftsmanship of graphic novels and "Golden Age" illustrators. I would take it upon myself to slavishly copy from my idols to try to learn how they were able to capture so many visual elements so well. In my early adolescence, I sought out several local artists across Ontario to teach me privately and also attended various art classes to further my own personal education. As an adult, my interest in art has evolved to encompass classical realism, Alla Prima works and my own private study of the 19^th century Atelier system of traditional art education.