We were lucky to catch up with John Koller recently and have shared our conversation below.
John, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I’ve been lucky to have some great teachers in my life. For me, high school was a pivotal time to establish my identity and career path. I have always been artistically inclined, but I certainly wasn’t thinking about an art career as a teenager. Luckily, my high school had a great art program, and art became not only a refuge but a place of empowerment.
My high school art teacher was Mr. Dale Chilcoat. Mr. Chilcoat introduced our class to all kinds of art as well as various techniques and materials. But most importantly, Mr. Chilcoat allowed me to be myself, and opened up a new door of possibilities I hadn’t considered. He showed me that being creative was not only OK but also a pathway to success.
I remember walking down the hallway of San Leandro High one afternoon, and saw a motivational poster with a young man wearing circular glasses, a cycling hat and colorful Nike high tops. I thought “Who is THAT?” The poster featured a quote about creativity or something along those lines. I had always imagined artists to be old and from somewhere far away. The guy on the poster was young, confident and accessible somehow. Suddenly, I had a light-bulb moment. The artist on the poster was Keith Haring.
I’m not sure what happened to that poster, but I’ll never forget the day Mr. Chilcoat walked me down the hall, took the poster off the wall and handed it to me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. My parents are immigrants from Germany and El Salvador. My work with mixed media is a reflection of my own cultural background and my diverse interests. As an artist, my goal is to connect with my audience in new and interesting ways. Art, music, physics, fashion and archeology are among my inspirations and I’m always looking for new patterns and metaphors within my artwork.
Much of what I do is examining things from different points of view, and blending different materials, textures and processes together. Whether I’m working with photography, collage, printmaking, sculpture or oil painting, I love the act of discovery, innovation and a fresh point of view.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One quality or mindset that has made a huge impact on my journey is to embrace the strange. I think for a significant part of my childhood, I was afraid to stand out. It took time, but I think embracing the different in myself and others has been really important.
Another important quality to develop is learning to have thick skin. It takes a healthy dose of patience, humility and grace. It’s not easy sometimes! (laughs)
Like many people, I tend to want to “figure things out.” I think the third piece of knowledge or skill is knowing when to let things go and when to keep working on them. Whether it’s a personal relationship or part of a painting, sometimes “addition by subtraction” can be priceless.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
One of my goals is to work with new curators, galleries and art institutions. I am also currently looking for artist residencies that will challenge me to adapt and engage in new spaces. I’d love to collaborate with people and organizations who seek out diversity, innovation and authenticity. Trust and mutual respect are a must, for sure.
Thanks for giving me the platform to share my work!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.johnkollerart.com
- Instagram: @kollerjohn
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/johnkoller1
Image Credits
Marissa Koller John Koller
