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"Man of Abstraction" John R. Salko - Biography John Salko was born and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut. As a youngster, he enjoyed browsing the galleries and museums in New York City, which instilled in him a lasting appreciation for the arts. He grew to especially admire the works of Jackson Pollock, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. In 1966, this suburban teenager volunteered to join the U.S. Marine Corps. and heroically served thirteen-months of active duty in Vietnam. In 1969, Salko returned to Connecticut, and later started a lucrative business painting the exteriors of large estates in Fairfield and Westport. However, in the midst of political and social upheaval, he desired a more peaceful lifestyle and eventually moved to quaint village on the coast of Maine. There, he settled, and made a living fishing on the highest tides in the world “The Bay Of Fundy” in an eighteen-foot boat he built. The solitude of his life on the water helped put some of the darkness of war behind him. Deeply moved by the power of the rugged open ocean and the elements, he began to paint dynamic ocean landscapes on canvas. Years later, Salko moved to a country setting, where he designed and built, on his own, a 4,000 square foot contemporary home on a lush forty-two acres. Here, his challenge came from “nature”, a welcoming change and an integral force Salko’s art today. Using “color as the communicator”, he began to push the envelope of experimentation applying oil based paint on wooden panels, using a palette knife which evolved to colorful, complex works of abstraction. Some of Salko’s earlier works are strongly related to his experiences in the war but relieved of dark images by a brilliant impasto evoking a dream-scape that can be both startling and beautiful. Today, Salko uses acrylic, or water based paint on wooden panels preserved with a poly finish. Salko’s intriguing, colorful abstracts emerge with a willful presence and strength that rivet the eye. He employs such innovative techniques that the viewer is drawn into his complex designs of color and movement. His style sways from detailed creations to bold, flowing works of abstraction. Each painting reveals the emotions within the artist, as Salko works with a force towards the light. His one of kind creations are represented by Brooke Trace, owner of "The Brooke Trace Gallery" in Ft. Lauderdale, FL., and by prestigious interior designers Christina Romann/Smith - “Smith-Palmer Famulari”, a NYC based architectural company (new office in Connecticut), and interior designer, Ingrid Guberek, owner of “Casa Deco“ at DCOTA (Design Center Of The Americas) in south Florida -- the largest campus for interior designers in the world. Salko’s portfolio has captured the attention of collectors/art lovers internationally and throughout the U.S. Among the collectors of his work include Salko’s long-time friend/Hollywood actor, James “Jim” Gammon, who originally discovered Salko's talent while scouting film locations in New England. Impressed with the man and his art, Mr. Gammon presented a one-man-show to introduce Salko's work to invited guests at the exclusive “Citrus Club” in Orlando, FL. Salko's exhibitions include, The Maine State Capital "Legislative Gallery", Atlantic City Art Center, Atlanta Art Expo, and Florida's "Orlando Science Center" where several of Salko's originals were displayed in the "Power Light" exhibit, using the power of light to change the pigment of colors in Salko's paintings, as a 'new science experiment", creating a bridge between art and science. John Salko is a very gifted, self-taught painter, naturalist, poet, fisherman, novelist, horticulturist and a master carpenter. Now in his mid-fifties, he resides in Maine (and south Florida) with his wife, Karen, a screenwriter and film producer. Return |
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