John A. Knudsen (February 3, 1938 - March 13, 2014) was an American artist and educator known for his advanced techniques in intaglio printmaking and exploration of color through large oil paintings that focused primarily on Chicago cityscapes. He was one of the founding professors of Harper College (also known as William Rainey Harper College) and developed the Fine Arts Department curriculum and direction.
Early years
Knudsen was born in 1938 and spent part of his upbringing in Brooklyn, New York; Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois. His father was a Lutheran minister. During high school, his family moved to the west side of Chicago in the Austin neighborhood where he later became the sole recipient in the city of a full scholarship to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ultimately, his father, Arthur Knudsen, encouraged him to attend Luther College in Iowa.
Education
While at Luther College, Knudsen earned a BFA with a Major in Fine Arts and Minors in History and Secondary Education. One of Knudsen's professors was Orville Running, who would become a big influence on his work.
After Luther College, Knudsen attended the University of Iowa where he double majored in Painting and Printmaking with a minor in Art History. He was taught by world-renowned professors such as Eugene Ludins for painting and Mauricio Lasansky, the latter of which spurred Knudsen's interest in engraving. Knudsen graduated in 1962 with a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking and Painting as well as a minor in Art History.
Career
After graduate school, Knudsen worked as an elementary school art teacher from 1962 to 1963 at West Elementary School in New Canaan, Connecticut. In 1963, he returned to the Chicago area and taught art at Mount Prospect High School until 1967.
In 1967, Knudsen was one of the first professors hired to the newly established William Rainey Harper College. He proved instrumental in developing the college's first Fine Arts Program, working with William Foust, an art professor, in putting together the basic structure and curriculum of the program. Knudsen taught drawing, Design, Painting, Printmaking, and Life Drawing. He was also the co-head of the Fine Art Department from the start of the college in 1965 until 1972 with Foust. In the late 1960s, funding was provided to begin establishing the Harper College Art Collection. The goal was to improve the aesthetics of the building and to create a collection that would be added to through the years.
In 1974, Knudsen was awarded a sabbatical to study with Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17 in Paris. Hayter's influence is seen in Knudsen's engravings starting in 1974. "In Praise of Architecture", engraved in 1974, represents his change in style toward more abstract and playful linear compositions.
Knudsen established the Illinois Print and Drawing Show to promote greater interest in fine art within the Harper College community. The show became a significant source of art acquisition for the college. In time, it quickly gained national interest and was renamed as the National Juried Art Exhibition: Small Works.
Another artistic influence for Knudsen were the rich natural dyes and textures of oriental rugs from countries like Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. He incorporated these elements into his cityscape paintings. Knudsen was a very active supporter of The Chicago Rug Society and in 1994 became the organization's president.
In 1998, Knudsen retired from Harper College to focus on his own artwork.
John A. Knudsen Workshop/Gallery
In 1993, Knudsen opened his own gallery, The John A. Knudsen Workshop/Gallery, in Union Pier, Michigan. He produced woodcut prints primarily using themes from southwest Michigan and urban settings such as expressways and Chicago cityscape scenes. In addition he continued producing paintings and etchings. He would often use buildings and trucks of all sizes. The composition in both painting and printmaking was always bold, colorful, and congested with objects, people, buildings, and smoke covering the image area. At this time, Knudsen's woodcuts became heavily influenced by the German Expressionist movement Die Brücke which was popular in the 1930s.
Later in 2003, Knudsen opened another gallery at the Generation Gallery of the Featherbone Building in Three Oaks, Michigan. Here he explored oil and acrylic painting using very bold, bright colors in urban themes. “El People”, a large acrylic painting, is one example of this new direction in his artwork.
Legacy
The John Knudsen Memorial Scholarship was established after his death in 2014 to provide financial assistance to Harper College students pursuing fine art.