Biography:

John Fitzsimmons was born in Central New York in 1953. John grew up on the edge of small-scale suburbia and spent his time in the fields and woods during the short summers and long and cold winters. “My focus was science, I loved chemistry and assumed I would be some sort of scientist”.

At an early age, Fitzsimmons started to progressively lose his hearing, which made school difficult. He took several years of lip reading and eventually was able to get hearing aids.

At 16 he moved with his family to Lockport NY, near Buffalo.  Around this time, he saw an exhibit of Charles Birchfield’s watercolors at the Munson Williams Proctor Art Institute.  “It seems that around the same time I saw the Birchfield show, I saw Frank Stella, Claus Oldenburg and Alexander Calder in Life Magazine and I think is when I decided to become an artist, it seemed like something I could do and an interesting life”.

He attended SUNY New Paltz and remembers two great teachers. “I learned a great deal about design from Dale Stein, I remember his lessons about color, contrast, scale, pattern, and texture all the time”.  His drawing teacher was Alexander Minewski, “who I listen to every time I draw”. He went onto the Art Academy of Cincinnati. “I loved Cincinnati, in the early 70’s the cultures were not yet homogenized, and I got a very solid education there”. 

Fitzsimmons is currently concentrating on paintings, drawings and prints of single figures and groups of figures. “I see the figure as raw material, that I use to search for the painting that is there somewhere”. 

Solo Exhibitions:

Upstate Cancer Center Guest Gallery, Syracuse NY, 2024, current, semi-public

The Other Side Gallery Utica, NY 2024, Paintings,

The Other Side Gallery Utica, NY 2022, Intaglio prints
Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts 2022
Upstate Cancer Center Guest Gallery, Syracuse NY, 2021
Artisan Gallery Binghamton NY, July 2020 — watch artist talk
Upstate Cancer Center Guest Gallery, Syracuse NY, 2018
Imagine Gallery Solo Show, Skaneateles NY, 2014
The Hamilton Center for the Arts Solo Show Hamilton NY, 2013
The Vineyard Gallery Solo Show, Syracuse NY, 2013
The Kirkland Art Center Solo Show, Clinton NY, 2010
The Earlville Opera House Solo Show, Earlville NY
Joan Derryberry Gallery Solo Show, Cookeville TN 
The Arts Center in Orange Solo Show, Orange VA
The Edgewood Gallery Solo Show, Syracuse NY
Rome Art Center Solo Show, Rome NY

Group Exhibitions: [a selection]

Chamot Gallery,  Fayetteville, NY  2025
Limner Gallery, Great American Nudes, Hudson , NY 2025
Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art,  Group Show, Peekskill, NY, 2025
Print Guild of New York, Prints, Troy NY, 2024
Lore Degenstein Gallery, 15th annual Figurative Art Exhibition, 2024
Remarque Print Workshop, 12 th International Print Exhibition, Albuquerque, 2024
WWCCAG, Contemporary Works on Paper, 2024, Wyoming
Schweinfurth Memorial “In Person,” Auburn NY, 2021

Schweinfurth Memorial “Made in NY,” Auburn NY, 2020
Schweinfurth Memorial “Made in NY,” Auburn NY, 2019; awarded Best In Show
Kirkland Art Center Clinton NY, 2020
Arts in Embassies Program US Embassy, Bangladesh, 2006-2007
Novado Gallery Jersey City NJ, 2019
Edgewood Gallery Syracuse NY, 2019
Edgewood Gallery Syracuse NY, 2019
Redhouse “Gods of Carnage,” Syracuse NY, 2019
St. David’s Celebration of The Arts Fayetteville NY, 2019
Edgewood Gallery Syracuse NY, 2018
St. David’s Celebration of The Arts Fayetteville NY, 2018
Edgewood Gallery Syracuse NY, 2017
St. David’s Celebration of The Arts Fayetteville NY, 2017
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park 2014
Edgewood Gallery Syracuse NY, 2014
Munson Williams Proctor Institute 62nd Exhibition of Central New York Artists, Utica NY, 2010
Tamarind Gallery “Sonic Chromatic,” New York City, 2009
The Delavan Gallery “Fusion,” Syracuse NY, 2009
Cazenovia College Gallery “HEADshots,” Cazenovia NY, 2009
The Limestone Gallery H2ONY, Fayetteville NY, 2008
Schweinfurth Memorial Gallery “Made in NY,” Auburn NY, 2008
Link Gallery Syracuse University, Syracuse NY, 2008
Edgewood Gallery Figure Show, Syracuse NY, 2008
Convergys Gallery “Minumental,” Cincinnati OH, 2008
Art For The Bridge Dallas TX, 2008
Sculpture Space Utica NY 

PUBLICATIONS, REVIEWS, MOVIES AND LECTURES:

“Cairns” 12 illustrations for an epic poem written by Phil Memmer, 2022
Artist Lecture Novado Gallery, Jersey City NJ, 2019
15th Figurative Art Exhibition Catalog, Lore Degenstein Gallery, 2025
Artist Talk video, Artisan Gallery, July 2020
United States Embassy, Dhaka exhibition catalog, 2007
The Beacon News “New exhibit at Mills Pond Gallery celebrates Contemporary Realism”
Stone Canoe Journal 2009, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025
Master class instructor Sense of Drawing, Syracuse University, 2013, 2011
Munson Williams Proctor Institute catalog and essay, 2010
Sonic Chromatic catalog and essay, Tamarind Art, NYC, 2009
Artist Lecture Cazenovia College, Cazenovia NY, 2009
The Syracuse New Times Review, 2009
“Sketchbook” collection of drawings and proposals for projects, published 2008
Open Figure Drawing 2008 Exhibition Catalog
Portrait literary quarterly, 8 paintings with Hugh Fox’s Poetry, 2008
Artist Lecture The Schweinfurth Memorial Gallery, 2008
The Post Standard Review July 2008
Artist Lecture Joan Derryberry Gallery, 2008
Katherine Rushford Syracuse Post Standard, “Made in NY” 2008
Katherine Rushford Syracuse Post Standard, “H20NY” 2008
Artist Lecture Rome Art Center, Rome NY, 2007
”prop” paintings for many movies, Wilding, Invisible, etc

VIDEO INTERVIEWS:  [active links on you tube]

Davana Robedee, Schweinfurth Memorial Gallery
Jenny Chang, Artisan Gallery, 2020
Artisan Gallery, Artist’s Talk, 2020
Tingun Long, Video Short, 2016"In Person" Artist Talks: John Fitzsimmons 3
"In Person" Artist Talks: John Fitzsimmons 3

In Person Artist Talks: John Fitzsimmons 2
In Person Artist Talks: John Fitzsimmons 1

Artist Interview with John Fitzsimmons

John Fitzsimmons Exhibition at Schweinfurth Art Center 2021. "In Person".

COLLECTIONS:

Private collections in New York, Ohio, Florida, South Carolina, California and France
Public collections include LeMoyne College, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, City of Syracuse, Cazenovia College, Upstate Cancer Center and Upstate Nursing School

EDUCATION:

SUNY New Paltz, Fine Arts
Art Academy of Cincinnati, Painting, 1977
Whitney Independent Study Program, 1st alternate 1978