John Emanuele begins the process of creating his otherworldly creatures by collecting various references from the animal kingdom. Using these references, he combines various features from several animals to develop an entirely unique, new species. Anatomical accuracy is not part of his goal. Instead he is interested in portraying the new creature's personality.
Even though his figures can vary quite a bit, several elements resurface throughout his body of work. Chief among these are the wide, circular eyes of many of his creatures. With the addition of color, the playful nature of each new beast comes to life. The bold, artificial colors transport viewers from the real to unreal, into a new world inhabited some very friendly new creatures.
John has lived his whole life in Columbus, Ohio, and he is very close with his family. John is an only child and talks honestly about the perks of his childhood saying that he got "all the presents." It is hard to believe that he has only been making art since starting at Open Door. He is a natural!
The upcoming exhibit, Big and Small Wonders, features a slew of petite works by John. Don't miss the opening in order to get your very own John Emanuele original!
See John's portfolio here.
