About John Soward

John Soward is a native of Chicago. He grew up in Summit, NJ., received a BA(Eng) from Franklin & Marshall College and did postgraduate work at Lehigh University. After four years as an officer in the Coast Guard Reserve, he began a 33 year career in marine insurance. Now retired, he and his wife, Nancy, spend their time between Newburyport, MA. and their home in Spanish Wells, Bahamas.

Since coming to the Bahamas ten years ago, John has made friends with some of the local fishermen. "They are consummate seamen and successful fishermen and great friends. They do go out of their way to bring in nice specimens for me to paint." From the fishermen and his own efforts, John collects fish to be photographed and then painted. 

Of his paintings, John says, "It is a moment of great satisfaction when I get it right, when my efforts achieve some small degree of likeness to the fish. When painting these creatures, you become evermore aware of how and why their 'parts' all fit together - their form, design, patterns and color. I think that in the end, my exhilaration comes from not so much the painting, but from 'really' seeing and realizing the perfection of the overall design."