Artist of the Issue: John Chung

John Chung ‘20 has always been a visual person. For Chung, art is a form of expression that has always come naturally to him because he feels it is easy to visualize and execute.

Chung’s passion for art began in third grade. At a young age, he was taught basic artistic skills through art programs and classes. Ever since this early training, his observational artwork, especially in still life, remains amongst his strongest suits.

Upon his arrival at Deerfield as a freshman, Chung immediately took advantage of the arts program. He worked with former art teacher David Dickinson for three years. The Deerfield Arts Program has pushed Chung out of his comfort zone and exposed him to a variety of new techniques and mediums. At Deerfield, he discovered and took an interest in a new form of visual arts: architecture. Architecture intrigued Chung because it bridged together his love of art and problem-solving.

Visual Arts Teacher David Payne commended Chung’s skill within both mediums.“John has made a very smooth transition from drawing by hand to the computer. [He is] equally adept at both,” he said.

In addition to architecture, Chung also expanded his artistic “toolbox” within the mediums of graphite and charcoal drawing. This pushed him out of his comfort zone and forced him to experiment with more creativity. Chung stated that one of the more memorable projects he worked on was to convert human faces into animal faces.

Mr. Payne cited Chung’s meticulous attention to detail and work ethic as reasons for his artistic success.

“I think he puts a lot of time and effort and care into each of his drawings. It’s not just about finishing the project. It’s about doing it to the best of his ability,” he said.

Fellow artist Madeline Lee ‘20 also highlighted Chung’s skill. “His attention to detail which artists, in general, tend to not pay attention to too much differentiates John,” she said.

Art has been a hobby and a passion for Chung since he was in elementary school. At Deerfield, he has achieved much regard and developed greatly as an artist. After Deerfield, he plans to continue his career in art.