John Warren Oakes: Daily Watercolors of Trees and Forests
At 85 years old, John Warren Oakes remains dedicated to his passion for painting, primarily creating watercolor artworks of trees and forest scenes. He draws inspiration from royalty-free images he finds online and works with Winsor & Newton tube watercolors on Strathmore cold-pressed paper. His newest collection focuses on forest landscapes with creeks, each piece labeled with a code indicating when it was made. Oakes has studied at several notable institutions, including the Art Instruction School of Minneapolis and Harvard University. His art has been featured in nearly 500 exhibitions, with 51 being solo shows. He’s represented by galleries in several states and countries and, alongside his late wife Elizabeth, curated a significant exhibition of women artists. A feature on him will appear in the Fall 2026 edition of Watercolor Artist, available online on July 14 and in print on July 28.
Key facts
- John Warren Oakes is 85 years old and paints daily.
- He creates watercolors of trees and forest landscapes.
- He uses Winsor & Newton tube watercolors on Strathmore cold-pressed paper.
- His current series uses numerical codes based on year, month, and date.
- He studied at multiple institutions including Harvard University.
- His work has been in nearly 500 exhibitions and 51 solo shows.
- He is represented by galleries in New York, Kentucky, Arizona, England, and Scotland.
- His late wife Elizabeth was a poet and Shakespeare scholar.
Entities
Artists
- John Warren Oakes
- Michael Chesley Johnson
- Elizabeth Oakes
Institutions
- Art Instruction School of Minneapolis
- Art Students League of New York
- Western Kentucky University
- University of Iowa
- Harvard University
- Artists Network
- Watercolor Artist
- Southwest Art
- Splash 27 Competition
Locations
- Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Minneapolis
- New York
- Iowa
- Arizona
- England
- Scotland