John Wesley Cotton

John Wesley Cotton (October 29, 1869 November 24, 1931) was a printmaker and painter in the early years of the 20th century. He was known for his aquatints, etchings, and drypoints, and for introducing the colour aquatint process to Canada.

Biography Cotton was born in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. He was trained as a commercial lithographer and studied at the Toronto Art Students' League from 1891 to 1892,

He was in Chicago again in 1910 and perhaps encouraged by Bertha Jaques, he became interested in etching. In 1910 he became a charter member of the Chicago Society of Etchers. He kept his Chicago contacts open when he moved away later, becoming a member of the Chicago Watercolour Club in 1915, for instance.

From 1911 to 1912, he lived in London. He hoped to study with Sir Frank Short at the Royal School of Engraving and Etching (now called the South Kensington School of Art) in London, In 1916, with other former members of the Toronto Art Students' League, he played a leading role in the establishment of the Canadian Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers.

In World War I, he served with the Allied Expeditionary Force

As in Canada, in California Cotton was known for his aquatint prints but added painting in oil to his accomplishments. He travelled widely in the state for inspiration.

Cotton was actively involved in regional art organizations both as an organizer and exhibitor. He helped found the California Water Color Society (today the National Watercolor Society) in 1921 and exhibited his work in its annual exhibitions. and of the Ontario Society of Artists in 1930.

The Art Gallery of Ontario has photographs of prints made by Cotton possibly in the 1920s. The Smithsonian Libraries also has a file on Cotton.

Selected public collections National Gallery of Canada Art Gallery of Ontario Art Gallery of Hamilton Burnaby Art Gallery Library and Archives Canada Toronto Public Library Art Institute of Chicago Harwood Museum of Art Library of Congress Minneapolis Institute of Art New York Public Library

Awards and honours Exhibited Royal Academy of Art, 1912 Exhibited Walker Art Gallery, 1912 DeWolf Prize for etching, Art Institute of Chicago, 1913 Honorary mention for his exhibition of etchings at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition, 1915 Gold medal for painting and medal for aquatint, Pacific Southwest Exposition First prize for watercolour, Pomona, California, 1927 First prize, watercolour, Santa Cruz, California, 1928