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John Salminen, 1945 | Abstract Cityscape painter

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John Salminen (born January 18, 1945) is an award-winning🎨 American🎨 watercolor painter who is well known for his realistic urban landscapes. His work was described as "compelling street scenes packed with detail" by Watercolor Magic magazine's senior editor, Loraine Crouch.
Salminen was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. He earned his Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree from the University of Minnesota. He lives in a self-built log cabin surrounded by 40 acres (160,000 m2) of pine forest in Duluth, Minnesota.


For nearly 34 years, Salminen was a high school art teacher. Although he started college as a music major, Salminen became enchanted by the art studio during his high school years. He painted while teaching high school students.
Salminen is a productive painter who paints six to ten hours a day in a basement studio when he's not out of town jurying exhibitions or teaching workshops. He captures his subjects with his camera. He and his wife, Kathy - who is also a teacher and a photographer - dedicate their time to gathering material by shooting photos on the streets of cities like New York and Chicago.
John Salminen is a member of watercolor-painting societies such as the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, the Watercolor USA Honor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and Watercolor West.
He has a master status in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. Salminen is an honorary member of the Jiangsu Watercolor Research Institute in China and he is a fellow in the American Watercolor Society's Dolphin Fellowship.



Recognitions and awards🎨
John has won over 230 major awards in national and international exhibitions.
He has been an invited artist in over 30 exhibitions in thirteen countries. He’s a frequent Juror/Judge of national and international exhibitions and was one of 7 invited international jurors and judges for the Shenzhen Biennial.
His work is featured in many national and international books and magazines.
John’s a signature member of several art societies including AWS, Allied Artists, TWSA and NWS. He’s a member of the Jiangsu Watercolour Research Institute in China and he’s the first American member of the Australian Watercolour Institute.
  • AWS Gold Medal twice;
  • Allied Artist Silver and Gold Medals;
  • NWS Silver Star Award twice;
  • TWSA First Place Award three times;
  • Shanghai International Biennial Award;
  • Award of Excellence, Ministry of Arts and Culture, Thailand.
Over 210 other major awards🎨 in national and international exhibitions.




























john Salminen è un pittore Americano🎨 di acquerello, multi premiato🎨 e ben noto per i suoi realistici paesaggi urbani.
Salminen ha vinto oltre 230 importanti premi di riconoscimenti🎨 in mostre nazionali e internazionali.
John Salminen è nato e cresciuto a St. Paul, Minnesota nel 1945. Il suo lavoro viene descritto come "scene avvincenti di strada ricche di dettagli". Ha conseguito la Laurea di primo livello ed il Master nella University of Minnesota.
Vive e lavora a Duluth, Minnesota dove ha insegnato liceo per 34 anni.
Il lavoro di Salminen è esposto in centinaia di mostre nazionali ed internazionali, di gruppo, così come in molte mostre personali.
E' un artista invitato in mostre internazionali a Hangzhou, Taiwan, Pechino, Nanchino, Shanghai, Lushan e Zhujiajiao, Cina ect.
John è membro di numerose società d'arte, tra cui l'American Watercolor Society, The Watercolor Società Nazionale, l'acquerello USA Honor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Allied Artists ed Acquerello occidentale.