About the Artist
John Ball’s artistic journey began in childhood, with drawings at his parents’ kitchen table. Grade school art classes in England and Ohio nurtured his early interest in creating art. Subsequently, in Florida, he received a bachelor’s degree in commercial art from Pensacola Christian College.
Upon graduation, John began illustrating for ABeka Publishing, where he honed his skills and collaborated closely for over twenty years with his esteemed teacher and mentor, the nationally renowned artist Brian Jekel. John completed numerous illustrations in various styles for products catering to both children and adults, including a series of children’s books. For about six years, he was an art director for the publishing company.
While working as an illustrator, John continued to engage in painting from life, receiving guidance from some esteemed artists such as Daniel Gerhartz and Ralph Oberg. Simultaneously, his paintings gained recognition in exhibitions and galleries across the nation. John has been honored with numerous awards, including those bestowed upon him by Plein Air Magazine’s Salon Juried Show, the Raymar Art Contest, the Art Renewal Center Annual Salon, and the Boldbrush Art Contest.
Today, John operates a diverse artistic discipline, using mediums such as oil, watercolor, and acrylic. He completes commission requests and freelances commercial art from his home studio in Pensacola, Florida.
John has exhibited and sold his artwork in numerous galleries and juried exhibitions across the United States, including: Alla Prima Fine Art, St. Petersburg, Florida; Banks Fine Art, Dallas, Texas; Ella Walton Richardson, Charleston, South Carolina; M Gallery (now Principle Gallery), Charleston, South Carolina; Chroma Gallery, Savannah, Georgia; Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art (for the Salon International show), San Antonio, Texas; Galerie Kornye West, Fort Worth, Texas; Waterhouse Gallery (for the Annual Invitational Show), Santa Barbara, California; and Walls Fine Art (for the Oil Painters of America show), Wilmington, North Carolina.
John and his wife, Nancy, also own Brush and Sketch Art Studio, where they instruct art students of all ages. Please see brushandsketch.com for more information.
Through the non profit Visual Arts Association, John and Nancy help artists and art initiatives in Northwest Florida. See visualartsnwf.com
