Jon Whiddon

Jon Whiddon began teaching himself to paint in 1999 while living with his father in rural southern Georgia. Starting out using leftover paint and scrap wood, he experimented with painting the open landscapes that surrounded him on his family's farm, taking in the big sky and long horizons of pastures and roads. His paintings became energetic expressions with vibrant lines and intense light. When Jon and his father moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the spring of 2000, Jon greeted the change in scenery with wonder. His artwork quickly evolved to reflect his new fascination with clouds and his new attempts at gardening. His paintings grew more impressionistic as he began to embrace plein air technique, composing with wet paint rather than dry layers, to capture the ever-changing light and color in his new environment.

In time Jon's enthusiasm for new experiences set him on a quest to see the world and to bring it to life in his paintings. He envisioned extended trips to be followed with intense periods of creativity upon his return, all with the support of his growing cadre of friends and fans. A hugely successful trip to Italy was followed by another to Bali. In August 2007, shortly after his return from Bali, Jon was diagnosed with cancer. He continued painting and planning until his death on February 20, 2008. On the night of a full lunar eclipse, the life of this promising self-taught artist came to a tragic end.

We are honored to have been chosen to make a collection of work from Jon's estate available to our customers, many of whom knew and loved Jon, and many more who love his art.

Jon Whiddon