I grew up in West Virginia around John Wirts and his large family — everyone had a Wirts in their grade, or just below or right after. While John and I were not close, we had siblings who ran around the Carriage Trail and KSF (Kanawha State Forest) together, and I was in French class with a Wirts sister. They were all smart and good-looking and talented, but mostly they were exceptionally kind people. When I reflect on 27 issues over 8 years with Longridge Review, I better understand the influence of people like John on my formative years, on my hometown, and on the wider world.
After a 30 year career as an Aquatic Biologist/Program Manager with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), John retired in 2022. He discovered time spent focused on work and raising 2 children is now available to resume the painting pleasures he loved in high school and college.
He thinks of himself as “just getting my art career started after retirement,” but his influence began long before then and will continue well after.
Most of my professional career was related to water – monitoring the health of streams and the life that depends on them. This interest in water influences much of my photography and art. I have always spent a lot of time in ‘the woods’ – taking lots of photos, often with the idea of them becoming references for future paintings.
John Wirts
It is a privilege to share his work with our readers. You can find John’s work on his emerging website, https://johnwirts.weebly.com.
— EDG
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“I have always been inspired by nature and try to depict the sensations and emotions that I experience in nature throughout all seasons – with a focus on Appalachian streams and mountains, and their inhabitants. “
— John Wirts
All images ©John Wirts
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