John Charles Terelak was born in Boston, MA in 1942. His football talent earned him collegiate scholarships that he turned down in favor of the arts. John decided to enter Vesper George School of Fine Art in 1960. John painted vigorously while at Vesper George, experimenting with several different mediums including pastel, watercolor and oil. As a standout student, he was awarded a position as a professor upon graduating and found great pleasure in teaching.
In 1975, John founded the Gloucester Academy of Fine Arts, where his students consisted of college and art school graduates. John helped his students' polish their individual styles and advance in professional careers in fine arts. During the end of his tenure as owner/proprietor of The Gloucester Academy of Fine Arts, John constructed a private studio in Rockport, MA, close to his home, and it became his primary work location. Bored with reputation, John is always exploring new techniques, using different color combinations, varying composition, and adding transparent glazes to create the "soul and magic" of his works. Often working on several paintings simultaneously to avoid uniformity, "Every painting takes a life of its own as it develops and evolves taking the artist along for the ride." His technique is painting with dabs of color that mirror the light and hues of the particular setting.
John has traveled for new subject matter to such places as New York Harbor, the California coast, the Grand Canyon, Nantucket, and France. The results of these travels have been well documented and remain some of his most profound pieces to date. An invitation to paint in Monet's gardens will forever remain a highlight in John's career.
Along with influence from nature, John is deeply influenced by the writings of classic as well as contemporary authors, such as Mortimer Adler, Thomas Merton, Earl Nightingale, and William Shakespeare.
Many of John’s original oil paintings are included in public and private collections throughout the world, and exhibited in galleries in Massachusetts, California, Chicago, New York City, Florida, and Ohio. John currently resides in Rockport, MA.