About
Why does this website exist?
This website has been created to display the art of John Gilbert Garretson. These electrical efforts have a point of intention; this is not just visual yelps into the void of the unknown. It is this website's sincere hope that more of John's art is displayed on walls, in spaces where new people can view the work. In addition to viewing these artworks, this website wants you to have ownership over the aforementioned pieces. Please contact John Gilbert Garretson right now, don't wait, this is your chance to fulfill this website's purpose. Make this all have a purpose.
Who is John Gilbert Garretson?
He is an artist and art educator. John is the sum total of all his experiences. Some of those experiences will now be listed in an effort for you to conjure an impression or create your own imaginary picture of John based on a handful of memorable experiences:
At a young age John marveled as his older brothers drew, painted, made movies, defaced property, played long elaborate games, injured themselves in poetic fashions and generally led creative lives.
While in college John found an incredible band of artistic adventures, this collection of personalities created art together, shared supplies, ideas, food, long car rides, new and exciting techniques and in general found that their creative energies multiplied through the act of collaboration.
During John's undergraduate studies, his father joined him on a visit to the Guggenheim for the Rauschenberg retrospective. This body of diverse mixed media work cracked open John's head; creating a rift large enough for a stuffed sheep. John's father Bob was unimpressed, but his willingness to join his son on this adventure has always warmed John's heart.
John was a recipient of a travel grant from the Center for Development and Research of Bangladesh. He traveled on a grant to Bangladesh, and toured the country meeting with various governmental, social, religious, and educational institutions. Then John displayed a body of art based on the journey entitled Too Many Rivers to Count, in August of 2000.
Equal to John's love of making art is his willingness to share this artistic joy with others. John Garretson is a passionate Art Educator whose love and respect for the process of art making binds his practice as an elementary art educator and working artist. His undergraduate studies as a fine artist and art educator resulted in a BFA and Art Education Certification double major from Rowan University in 2001. At graduation John was awarded the Rodney Gates Medallion for excellence in the field of Art Education. John taught for a year at the Golden Door Charter School in Jersey City before acquiring the position of art educator at Woodside Elementary in River Vale, NJ. A drive to create and grow as an art educator and artist has led John to his studies at Teachers College, Columbia University. His thesis focused on the collaborative process in elementary art education. John completed his MA in the spring of 2007.