“I have known the Tempests for a long time and when I decided to have portraits of both my children painted, I went with John to paint them because the talent runs strong in his family. I love these portraits and look at them every day. He is a really great artist and I would recommend him to anyone.”

“What do you get for the spouse who doesn’t need any material things for her milestone 60th birthday? How about an expertly created portrait of her and her twin daughters (and second portrait of her two dogs)? Fortunately, we were introduced to John Tempest, a talented artist who lives in our area and was willing to take on the challenge to create two large portraits. It was difficult, but I was able to keep the portrait unveiling a surprise. At the birthday celebration event held at the Hope Valley Country Club with about 50 of our closest friends (including John and his lovely wife, Anne), I walked my bride into the event room where the two portraits were beautifully displayed on the wall. The overjoyed reaction when she saw the portraits was priceless! Thank you John for making this event so special. The two portraits are now proudly hung on the wall in our home and are considered among our most treasured possessions.”

“I commissioned John to paint my two children Devon and Becca 18 years ago, and then of me, most recently in 2015. He captures nicely the spirit of his subjects and reveals their inherent personalities. A great artist!”

“I am a professional photographer, having worked with modeling agencies in NYC and major designers including Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta, as well as musicians such as Pete Townsend of The Who. I have known John professionally for 25 years. His portraits and artistry are well executed, and his heritage adds nicely to his noteworthy talent.”

“I highly recommend John for portraiture, abstract art, and other decorative pieces. He did a beautiful commissioned painting for my wife’s company in the Research Triangle Park. Once you speak with John, you will how entrenched in the art life he is and always has been.”

“I highly recommend John for painting portraitures. He painted a picture of me many years ago from a still picture. Even though I was younger then, he aged the painting just a little so that as I got older the picture would always represent me. It is the kind of art work that can be passed from generation to generation. ”

“During the 1980s, my husband and I spent many of our winters in southern United States, mostly in the Raleigh/Durham area where we had friends. At that time, we met the artist John Tempest. Very favorable impressed with his work, my husband commissioned him to paint my portrait. The result was most pleasing!

The portrait measures 48 x 36 inches, including the frame. It now hangs prominently in our lounge here in Yorkton. Many are the comments by visitors and inquiries as to who and where the artist is.

In his work, Mr. Tempest paints not only the physical aspect of his subject, but also the “inner self,” the soul, as it were.”

“I commissioned Mr. Tempest to paint a portrait of my daughter. The end result was a wonderful image — a treasure I enjoy every day!”

“John Tempest painted a portrait of our son Wesley (then 6) in 1988, capturing more than just his likeness in the living room of our house in North Carolina at the time. It’s something almost intangible, but I think he captured his mood, like so many early evening moments, happily playing sometimes in thought, thinking of the next mischievous thing to do, which toy to play with next.
In terms of likeness, we think that John beautifully captured the shape of our son’s head, his facial features and hair, the placement of his hands and feet, and the overall shape of his body. Above all, John captured his expression of innocence, happiness, and content.
The painting hangs at a focal point in the upstairs hallway of our house and has been the subject of many a conversation with our closest friends, ones we permit to enter that more intimate part of our home. The most common first remark is “there’s no mistake that’s Wesley,” even though many friends have only known our son as an adult. John’s ability to capture something of the subject that is more than just the physical likeness is what makes him so special.
We are most grateful to John for giving us something we treasure, something of great value that we will one day pass onto our son. For now, we will continue to enjoy and reminisce. ”