John Renzel

I was born and raised in San Jose. I attended James Lick High School (class of ’82), and later The University of Santa Clara (class of ’86).

Although I majored in English, I much preferred the studio art classes. Photography was my favorite art form initially, but I came to appreciate painting because it allowed me to create from my own mind. I’ve always been fascinated with classic portraiture because of the story it can tell about the individual. Often such portraits are stern and imposing (like the kind you might find in an old court house) or overly idealistic…they have their own magical presence. So I like to create what I call “fictitious portraits” which are characters that don’t exist but remind you of people who do, in a humorous, or sometimes in a dark way. If my painting gets a giggle or a smile, I feel it is a success.

I sculpt polymer bugs because I find it troubling that tourist shops and the like sell real mounted insects, which were killed for that purpose. My bugs are much more humane!