John Essex II
Visual Artist / Caricaturist / Bagpiper
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In 2009 John Essex II retired from teaching Jr.-Sr. high school art after 33 years and formed EssexArt ABC, LLC (Art/Bagpipes/Caricatures), a small art and entertainment business through which he is living his lifelong dream of being a beatnik artist.
Background includes (but not limited to):
B.A. in art, Franklin College of Indiana, and certified to teach in public schools, 1976.
M.S. in Education with specialization in Secondary Art, Indiana University School of Education, 1983.
Certified by the Indiana Department of Education with a Life License to teach art, 1983.
Awarded Eli Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowships in 1993 and 2004.
Awarded an Indy Arts Council Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship for 1999-2000.
Though Essex has regularly exhibited his artwork since 1993, after retiring from teaching art full-time, he continues to exhibit and freelances in the areas he knows and finds fun. Consequently he worked as an adjunct professor of Art Appreciation at Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana in that school’s Marian's Adult Program, and was an artist member of the Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association (IDADA).
Currently Essex accepts commissions for artwork and caricatures, does caricaturing at special events and by commission and even plays bagpipes at special events, memorials and funerals.
In his role as artist / owner of EssexArt ABC, LLC, Essex has been active in community, church, collegiate, corporate events and conventions, high school post proms, weddings, receptions, wakes and funerals.
Also offered through EssexArt ABC, LLC are private painting parties. These are times to relax with old friends and new for painting instruction, libation and good fun in the comfortable setting of a neighborhood pub, meeting room, restaurant or other place that can accommodate a fun painting crowd of 10 participants or more.
