ReSOURCE
Artists

John Carlis
John Carlis (1917-2003) was born and raised in Chicago and is known for his paintings, commercial art and design, and sculpture. Though denied entry to the American Academy of Art because he was Black, Carlis was awarded a scholarship to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he spent seven years as a student and an assistant instructor. While in Chicago, he sustained his creative career by taking freelance opportunities and teaching at the South Side Community Art Center. Carlis moved to San Francisco in his early 30s and developed a greeting card business that operated with his partner for nine years. He continued to move across the world, spending time in Europe, the Canary Islands, and Kenya, where he painted with gouache to create impressionist scenes of the various environments he experienced while abroad. When he returned to the States, he settled in New York City, where his professional career as an artist took off. Carlis produced works that have appeared on album covers and magazine covers including Opera News Magazine, where he served as art director. In 1968, he published a comprehensive book on greeting card design entitled How to Make Your Own Greeting Cards.