John Blackwood began studying painting in January, 1998, with a class in watercolor at the Arkansas Arts Center museum school. He continued independent course work in watercolor with watercolorist Selma Blackburn and drawing with sculptor/painter Kevin Kresse. Watercolor is his primary medium with occasional work done in acrylic, collage and mixed media. He also has exposed himself to a variety of techniques through workshops lead by nationally recognized watercolorists as well as by participating in local-area group art sessions. Blackwood's formal education is in music with a bachelor’s degree in Theory and Composition from Baylor University. The Texas native spent 25 years in “corporate America” in a data processing career in the Dallas, Texas, area that spanned positions from systems programmer to vice-president. Following an early retirement from corporate life and a move to Little Rock, Arkansas, he began to follow a long-time interest in the arts, especially watercolor, and decided to try it. He discovered a true joy in painting. Now an award-winning artist, he has been selected several times by nationally-known watercolorists/jurors to exhibit in the Mid-Southern Watercolorists' Annual Exhibition in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has exhibited works in Little Rock at Arkansas Arts Center, Arkansas Artist Registry, Historic Arkansas Museum, "ArtWorks" at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, the juried MSW Winter Exhibitions and other shows and galleries. He is a signature member of Mid-Southern Watercolorists, Inc. and serves on their board of directors. His work is represented in Little Rock by Cantrell Gallery.
