American

John Bloom

U.S. 1906-2002
Auction at Johnson's 86.0013

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Throughout his career John Bloom, painted murals for the DeWitt post office, Tipton, University Hospitals in Iowa City, and two for Davenport Bank and Trust Company. He has also created many oil paintings, watercolors, sketches, and woodcarvings. In 1986, Auction at Johnson's earned Bloom first place in the Quad Cities Art Showcase at the Davenport Museum of Art. The impact that Grant Wood had on Bloom can be seen in his similar color use and techniques. Born in Dewitt, Iowa, Bloom attended St. Ambrose College and Tri-City Art League School in Davenport before enrolling at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1926. Soon after graduating, Bloom had the opportunity to study under Grant Wood at the Stone City Art Colony in 1932, and in future years, painted murals along side the famed Regionalist artist. Bloom became a commercial artist for several local Quad City manufacturing companies and also married Isabel Scherer, a fellow student of Grant Wood's at Stone City and an artist who would become well-known for her sculpture.

 

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