BIOGRAPHY

A highly successful painter of romantic genre scenes has emerged from a long depression and is working on over 100 paintings of dancers. John is no longer fascinated with scenes of women and children in the sun or on a beach, or in a garden often using his wife and two young daughters as models. These new paintings are set in brightly-colored backgrounds and have been called “minimalist with a contemporary and edgy look.”

John has endured mild to severe depression throughout his adult life. It began in his second year of art school. He had received a full scholarship at Art Center College of Design, and life was good. Then the negative thoughts began to raise their ugly heads, and after a time they became so strong that after two years he left art school and reluctantly became a commercial artist, which only worsened his condition. Finally at age 30, he left commercial art to paint full time.

Asaro’s first love in art, the female nude, he had hoped to paint exclusively. His first one-man show at Paideia Gallery in LA was mostly nudes. So were his second and third shows there. However, continuous negative thoughts stopped this pursuit. He gave up this subject, only occasionally painting a nude. Within the last several years he has taught life painting at Art Center for 8 years, raised a family, while spending many fulfilling hours at the easel. In spite of shaky confidence, he still managed to become a very successful artist with many accolades including the award of Honorary Doctorate from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Four years ago, John again sank into a debilitating depression. After a year of talk therapy, and finally accepting medication from a trusted psychiatrist, he quite suddenly came out of this horrible time while on a trip to France with artist friends three years ago.

Since that time he has had no more negative thoughts. With complete confidence and clarity of mind, he decided how to spend the rest of his life in art…with his old love, the female form. He says the paintings enter his imagination about 60% complete, and there sometimes six future works on his mind at the same time. Working 7 days a week, 8 to 10 hours a day, he gets them on canvas with the help of a camera, models, imagination, many years of experience, and positive feelings.

“I paint what I want to see.”

Asaro comments, "I don't like talking too specifically about the meaning behind any of my works. If I could put them into words, I'd be a writer or a poet."

BIOGRAPHY
Born San Diego, California
Studied with Donal Hord, San Diego, 1952-55
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, 1955-59
Art Student's League, New York City, 1957
Illustrator, New Center Studios, Detroit, 1960-65
Freelance Illustrator, New York City, 1956-68
Freelance Illustrator, Los Angeles, 1968-70
Los Angeles Institute of Architecture, 1979

TEACHING
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, 1974-1981
Laguna Beach School of Art and Design, 1982
Palomar College, San Marcos, CA, 1982-85