I was born in Canada in 1957 at a northern Alberta air force base at Cold Lake. I spent my youth in Germany and Ottawa while my father served 21 years as an airforce aircraft mechanic. My highschool and college years were spent in Brantford, Ontario, Canada followed by 12 years living and working in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada. I moved back to Brantford, Ontario, Canada in 1991 where most of the Novak clan call home.
After many years of working with computers as both a career and a hobby I was introduced to wood carving by my father in 1992. My interest in carving wildfowl and songbirds rekindled my photography interests, which had been dormant since highschool, as a way to acquire reference material for my carvings. This interest has lead me through the transition from 35mm film photography through digital point-and-shoot to entry level digital SLR to professional digital SLR and along the way a transition from Windows-based PC’s into the Apple Macintosh world.
John is an active member of the Brantford Arts Block. John is also an active member and presenter at both the Brant Camera Club and the Woodstock Camera Club.
Many of John’s prints have received awards in photographic competitions at the Ward World Championship Wildlife Photography Competition in Ocean City, Maryland, the Paris Ontario Fair’s Photography Competition along with many awards in both club and inter-club competitions. John was a Bronze Photographer of the Year for 2008-2009 at the Woodstock Camera Club. John’s “Ring-billed Gull Pair #1” image was second place Image of the Year for 2009-2010 at the Woodstock Camera Club.
John has exhibited several of his prints as part of a group show at the Windjammer Inn, Port Stanley, Ontario (2007) and the The One London Place Judge Chair’s Special” show at One London Place, London, Ontario (2008). John had his first solo show at the Dundas Valley Conservation Area (2009).
John’s work has been selected for the following juried art shows: “Sizzling Summer Show” at the Art Gallery of Lambeth from June 21, 2011 to July 30, 2011 “Forces of Nature Show” at the Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant from November 6, 2010 to January 7, 2011
John’s Photographic Artwork is personally made using the highest level of technology in archival reproduction techniques.
My photographic art can be purchased as limited-edition prints as well as open edition prints and art cards.
A selection of John’s images are on display and available for sale at the Quality Hotel & Suites, Woodstock, On. John’s images have been juried into shows at the following galleries:
- Art Gallery of Lambeth
- Glenhurst Art Gallery in Brantford, On
- Woodstock Art Gallery in Woodstock, On
John is a faculty member at the Dundas Valley School of Art where he teaches classes on soapstone carving, wood sculpture and wire sculpture. His carvings and sculptures can be seen at johnnovak-carving.com