Uniting the lyrical beauty of impressionism with the strength of classical realism, John's painting are a testament to the power of tradition in the visual arts. After graduating from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in 1977, John began an intense period of study under Cedric Egeli, devoting his time to portrait and figure painting. It was Egeli who introduced John to Henry Hensche, the master impressionist who had served as Charles Hawthorne's teaching assistant during the 1920's in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Struck by the intensity of light Hensche was able to achieve in his canvases, John became a devoted student and spent every summer studying with Hensche until his death in 1992.

As a featured writer in the November 1997 issue of The Artist's Magazine, John wrote and illustrated the article, Paint Impressionist Portraits. He is an Artist-in-Residence at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis, Maryland where he teaches drawing and painting. John is a member of the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters and the American Impressionist Society. In August 2000 John received the "Annie Award" for visual arts from the Anne Arundel Cultural Arts Foundation. His work hangs in many collections including the United State Naval Academy Lockheed-Martin, the First Bank of Alabama, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Maryland.