John N. Colt

BORN: May 25, 1925, Madison, Wisconsin

DIED: April 27, 1999 in Amherst, Massachusetts

John was surrounded by art at an early age. His father (a notable Early Wisconsin Artist) began a painting school (Colt School of Art) and taught summer courses in northern Wisconsin.

As many young men of his age, Mr. Colt enlisted in the Navy during WWII, working as an electrician. Afterwards, he returned to Madison and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Like his father, he began teaching in small area schools, followed by the Layton School of Art, and eventually landing at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Teaching from 1957-1990 and retiring as Professor Emeritus, he inspired young artists as well as continuing to paint.

As an artist, he enjoyed studying small micro organisms and creatures that made up our ecosystem. He was never interested in the panoramic scene as much as "the little areas - little realms of experience, nature close-up." He painted images of miniature land and sea creatures, dried fruits and vegetables; creating luminous effects and giving them an abstract quality with delicate lines, soft colors and shapes.

To further his professional development, he traveled to different regions, including the west coast of the United Staes, Haiti, and the Bahamas, where he studied sea creatures, insects, flowers, and produce.

Photo credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Oct. 22, 1989 via Wisconsin Historical Society.