Jon Mort

Jon Mort, Carbon Copy, 2019, Colored pencil on Bristol board, 8 x 18 inches
Jon Mort, Carbon Copy, 2019, Colored pencil on Bristol board, 8 x 18 inches

Exhibitions

About

Jon Mort is an emerging contemporary artist from Sandy Spring, MD. After receiving a BA in Studio Art from Franklin & Marshall College, he studied architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. A self-described ‘storyteller’,  Mort cites influences in his work from archaeology to astronomy. His graphite renderings embrace the narrative potential of portraiture, mythological inspirations, and still-life compositions.

Widely recognized for his startlingly realistic and uniquely composed colored pencil renderings, the millennial artist combines his twin passions for history and science by exploring their impact on the human narrative. In 2018 he traveled through Ireland and England, viewing Neolithic timekeeping structures, historic telescopes and chronometers, and a catalog of scientifically inspired art and architecture. His fascinations with the historic and popular influences of space exploration are frequently reflected in his artwork.

Mort has exhibited in galleries and museums across the East Coast, including an annual open studio in Port Clyde, ME, and his work can be found in private collections around the country. As stated by Mort, “My influences are wide-ranging, from ancient mythology to the modern portrait. My graphite depictions are at once allegiant to the craft of physiological exactitude and immersed in the breadth of fantastical narrative. I believe in the potential of work that blends time-honored technique with fresh composition.”

Jon underscores the role of storytelling in his work by saying, “The journey toward knowing, toward the goal of an objective truth, is reflected in the practice of making the drawings. The idea that deeper insight is worthwhile, that growth along the path to understanding is of value, manifests in the practice of scrutinizing found objects.”

Jon Mort’s art has been included in 20 major exhibitions, including at the Phillips Museum, the Portsmouth Museum of Art, and a one-person show at the Sandy Spring Museum.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2021         Greg Mort & Jon Mort: Object Lessons, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE

2019         Panoramas: Works by Greg Mort & Jon Mort, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE

2017         Greg Mort & Jon Mort – New Horizons, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE

2015         Two Roads – A Father & Son Exhibition with Greg Mort, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE

Selected Group Exhibitions

2021         PAST | PRESENT | FUTURE, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE