John Scott Cilmi

I was born in Ohio but grew up in the Philadelphia area, attended The Tyler School of Art where I received a BFA in painting. For many years I worked in the graphic arts and printing industry. In 1989 I moved to San Francisco and shortly after, decided to return to painting and I have been doing so for the past 25 years.


My paintings create a sense of energy and spirit that emanates from the layering of color, texture, the composition and the mark-making. I am most interested in using juxtapositions of color and exploring how layers affect layers. Many of my paintings have a tactile three-dimensional presence due to the build up of textured surfaces and mixed media on the canvas. The paintings are meant to be meditative, either peripherally or with focused attention.


My works continue to expand upon visual abstraction as an evolving language / non-language in which the painter and the audience have a shared experience within the landscape of the art. I tend to work in series utilizing a variety of mediums on a variety of surfaces. I follow my instincts and intuition and try to push the boundaries and my personal vision.

Temple University
The Tyler School of Art - BFA

2020 Cuvaison Winery Solo Exhibition- Sonoma, CA
2012-2020 The Red Umbrellas Group - San Francisco, CA
2012-2014 Capture Gallery – Healdsburg, CA
2011 The Marin Museum of Contemporary Art – Novato, CA
2011-2012 The Cohen Abee Gallery – San Francisco, CA
2000-2010 The Cohen Rese Gallery - San Francisco, CA
2006-2007 The Union Square Gallery - San Francisco, CA
2000-2013 Editions Limited - Emeryville, CA
2006 Claudia Chapline Gallery - Stinson Beach, CA
1996-1999 Connextions Gallery - St Helena, CA
1996-1997 The Cilmi Gallery, Sausalito, CA