A beloved Central Coast artist known for his vibrant contemporary paintings has died.
John Landon’s style left an imprint on the art world and his personality was even brighter than his artwork.
Diagnosed a genius at 11, Landon would go on to work as an environmental engineer, but he was an artist his entire life.
In the early 90s, his style of California expressionism became noticed.
"He really took off. His work really started being wanted and purchased and he started getting a lot of notoriety with a lot of the elites in L.A. Most movie stars have his work," Landon’s son, Shawn, told KSBY.
The whimsical and vibrant pieces decorated the Central Coast.
For artist Charlie Clingman, Landon’s work was immediately recognizable.
"I’d say it’s brilliant how he could simplify his subject. That’s a hard thing to do to simplify it and make it look fun," Clingman said.
Landon was known just as much by his warm personality and conversation as he was his art.
"He loved people. He would meet somebody and instantly make friends," Shawn Landon said. "He was very gregarious and very good with drawing somebody in. He was kind of the life of the party everywhere he went."
Two weeks ago, Landon was in a crash near Avila Beach and suffered significant injuries.
On Wednesday, he passed away at the age of 68.
"It will never go away (Landon’s art legacy), it’s there, it’s part of the Central Coast," Clingman said. "The style is solid, nothing like it, and he’s a nice guy so kind of parallel with the artwork."
Most recently, Landon spent time in Portland painting the northwest scene with his unique and bright style.
Shawn Landon says his father even had a piece hanging in the White House during President George W. Bush’s administration.
