John Davis Held

John Davis Held: recipient of an award from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art

“Please, won’t you be my neighbor,” sings Fred Rogers and we all can relate to that call for kindness and civility in these crazy times. The following is the first of many such articles on one of our neighbors.

John Davis Held, our neighbor on Ridgemede, is an artist recently honored by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, receiving an Award of Merit for his painting “The Goldfinch”, from an exhibition Fabulous Forgeries at The Troika Gallery in Easton, MD. John’s work is described by the gallery as known “for capturing atmospheric scenes, in which he has the innate ability to translate what one might see as an ordinary scene into a serene landscape of beauty and light.”

“Yes the technical ‘chops’ are required to paint a good painting,” John explains, “but it is one’s vision that brings magic to the piece.” John studied at The California Institute of Art where he was immersed in creative processes in music, theatre, and dance, as well as fine art.

He loves living in Tuscany Canterbury, where beautiful light fills his home studio. Kirsten, John’s wife, is an invaluable member of his team, and he credits her for his success in being represented by several galleries on the East Coast.

John’s work is the perfect antidote for the chaos in our world today. Visit www.johndavisheld.com to view his artwork, and learn about John and Kirsten’s philosophy on art. In a special shout out to TCNA, they donated net proceeds (40% of the price from the sale of his art by neighbors) to a local restaurant of your choice until November 15,2020. Visit his website or email him at johndavisheld@gmail.com for limited edition prints or original studio work.