Biography

John Franklin was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and grew up in Larchmont NY, attending University of New Hampshire receiving a Bachelors of Science Degree in Botany. After leaving New Hampshire he worked in New York City making English and French period furniture before moving to Princeton, New Jersey where he worked at the Johnson Atelier Sculpture Foundry. While in Princeton a shift in interest to painting led to attending California Institute of the Arts studying with mentor John Baldessari where he received his MFA in Post Studio Art. While at CalArts during the summers in Venice, CA he worked for architect Frank Gehry before moving to New York where he was studio assistant to the artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen. In New York he began to exhibit his work with his first of many exhibitions at White Columns Gallery. With two years in Northampton Massachusetts and two years in Kyoto Japan teaching English and studying calligraphy continuing John has consistently continued to make and exhibit his work in the US and Europe while attending numerous residencies. He received the Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant in 2008. John now lives and works in East Chatham, New York.