John, Andret

Andret John (born 1973, Nassau, The Bahamas) is competent in a wide variety of mediums including painting, wood carving and casting. Most of his artwork is inspired by Bahamian people and the local landscape and his pieces often reference Junkanoo, tribal imagery and ritual.

John attended Queen’s College, where he was mentored by a well-liked art instructor, Mr. Pickersgill. A chance meeting with the President of the Zonta Club, who asked him to donate a drawing to a fundraising event, was a turning point in his artistic career. Motivated to create and outstanding piece for the event, he was astounded when the final price reached at auction far exceeded his expectations. This boosted John's confidence and encouraged him to take the steps to become a professional artist.

John is an enthusiastic supporter of Junkanoo, and he joined the Fancy Dancers Group in 2006, for which he carved heads for the costumes. He has also worked with the One Family, Roots and One Love Junkanoo groups.

In 2014, John was commissioned to create a sculpture for the world's first underwater sculpture garden, at Clifton Peer in Nassau. The result is a poetic portrait; a face that appears to peak through the sand, suggesting an entire body buried beneath the seabed.