Little City Artist Spotlight
John King
For four decades, Little City has been home to the remarkable artist, John King – a truly wonderful soul! Kind, generous, and sweet beyond measure, his genuine spirit shines through his art.
John’s art reflects the goodness that resides within him. His art not only captivates the eye but also touches the heart. It’s no surprise that his kindness and generosity find expression in each creation, leaving a profound impact on all.
Drawing inspiration from the heart of humanity, John’s art captures people – featuring his signature smiling faces – in an innocent and fun way.
John also finds inspiration from his favorite books, with a special fondness for car encyclopedias. It’s within those pages that a spark ignites creativity within him, fueling the uniqueness of his work.
As a prolific artist, John has delighted countless individuals with his commissioned images – including displays at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Recently, he had the privilege of crafting a retirement gift for Shawn Jeffers, the former Executive Director of Little City, a testament to the trust placed in John’s extraordinary talent.
So, step into John’s world of vibrant colors and his fun-loving and artistic imagination – where his original pieces will take you on a journey of kindness and deliver tranquility.
Let John create a personalized masterpiece that speaks to YOU!
For inquiries or commission requests for original artwork by John King, please contact Shawna Pearson ([email protected])
Get to know John King!
John is the epitome of a friendly face, always smiling and happy to see friends (which just happens to be everyone John has ever met). He first came to Little City in 1982 at 23 years old and his joyful energy was evident right away. And as you can see in his long history of creating incredible artwork, it did not take him long to find an outlet for his positivity as he quickly became one of the most acclaimed and celebrated artists at Little City’s award-winning Center for the Arts.
His passion for people also led him to be very active in Special Olympics over the years, playing on the basketball team and a gold medal-winning softball team. He is also an avid swimmer and active in as many social groups as he can handle.
But John’s true achievement has been his ability to share his love and compassion with others who, in turn, become more compassionate themselves. Little City residential manager Crystal Valley said in all her years working with John, she has never seen him let frustrations or disappointment get the better of him. He is always the first one to put an arm around someone feeling down and give them the encouragement they need.
“Everyone knows about his amazing artwork and all those smiling faces you see really is reflective of who he is. He’s just so uplifting. He’s the sweetest, happiest man I have ever met.”
