About the Artist — John Rector

Hi, I’m John — a digital and mixed-media artist from Long Island, New York. Art has been a part of my life since childhood. I grew up studying painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, music, and theater all through high school and into college. But life took me down a different path, and I spent over 20 years working as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, helping people heal and regain their strength.

Everything changed when I suffered a severe work injury that required multiple surgeries and ended my PT career. Around that same time, I lost my father in a tragic accident, and shortly after, my mother suffered a major fall that left her bedbound for over two years under my full-time care. While going through my own lengthy rehabilitation — and coping with so much loss — I picked up a paintbrush for the first time in almost 30 years.

My first piece was The Blue Grotto, a 30x40” acrylic canvas. Creating it awakened something in me. Painting became both emotional therapy and physical therapy — a way to work my shoulder, calm my mind, and reconnect with something deeply personal.

As my physical limitations changed, I embraced digital painting using Procreate and an Apple Pencil. The precision and control felt like traditional brushwork, but with far less strain on my shoulder — and it opened an entirely new world of creative possibilities. Today, I create artwork almost every day, ranging from impressionistic abstraction to pointillism, cubism, brutalist realism, and other expressive styles.

All of my artwork is created entirely by hand and is available as fine art prints, gallery-wrapped canvas, and digital downloads.

Thank you for being here, for supporting independent art, and for being part of this journey of healing and rediscovery.