John William "Uncle Jack" Dey

John William Dey's paintings tell stories from his life as well as imagined adventures. Many of his paintings are full of friendly animals and people he admired--and sometimes people he disliked, shown in uncomfortable positions. His paintings often use birds (usually crows) to form strong and repetitive geometric patterns that enhance composition; rabbits also appear in almost all his works and, in Dey's words, "anchor the painting."

 Dey spent thirteen years on the Richmond City Police Force, where he earned the affectionate nickname of Uncle Jack from neighborhood children whose toys and bikes he fixed. Shortly after leaving the police force, Uncle Jack started to paint at the age of forty-three. Preferring bright colors, Dey painted with model-airplane enamel on wood or plywood. In his paintings, he told story after story--some true, some fables--from his memory, enhancing them with a tongue in-cheek sense of humor. His artwork is part of the permanent collection of The Smithsonian Institution and several other museums and private collections around the world.