John Drury is a multi-media artist, published author, independent curator and instructor. Drury holds a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from the Columbus College of Art and Design (1983) and a Master of Fine Art Degree, from Ohio State University (1985; majoring in Sculpture, and including a minor, in Painting). Living in New York City since 1989, John is the father of two young adults and has received the prestigious Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award, for his work as a sculptor (1997). In 2023, Drury received a New York State Council on the Arts Grant, to serve as a visiting artist at the Land Gallery, in Brooklyn; that facilities mission to work in support of developmentally challenged artists. John is a member of the influential art-duo
CUD, celebrating thirty-eight years of collaboration in 2026. Mr. Drury has exhibited his work at the Willoughby Sharp, Exit Art and Holly Solomon Galleries in NYC.
John is a contributing editor of GLASS magazine (with well more than 200 published texts); writing also, a dozen feature articles for Neus Glas magazine. Nearly forty texts are available online, those written for the Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art. Drury’s written work can also be found in the monograph “Shooting the Sun/Splitting the Pie” (2015), on the life work of visionary multi-media artist Jerry Pethick (1935-2003), First Nation’s artist Preston Singletary’s monograph accompanying his experiential, traveling exhibition “Raven and the Box of Daylight” and in Czech Republic artist Ivana Sramkova’s catalog; that accompanying her exhibition (April 25-September 22, 2020), “Beings”, at the Toyama Glass Art Museum in Japan – these, to name but a few.
In 2019, Drury curated two exhibitions - “The Other Glass: An Alternative History”, at the Heller Gallery in Manhattan and “As In Also: An Alternative Too”, at the Traver Gallery in Seattle. There was a second curatorial effort for the Traver Gallery, in April of 2023 – “Native Influence: Tony Jojola’s Life of Influence”; an exhibition including a dozen indigenous makers, in celebration friendship, sharing and respect. In 2024, his next curatorial effort, “The Builders”, was realized at the SarahCrown Gallery, in Manhattan.
John Drury has taught throughout the US, and internationally in Australia, Canada, Norway and Turkey. John co-taught for a sixth time, in 2023, at the Pilchuck Glass School – this engagement, with internationally celebrated artist and musician Lonnie Holley. Drury and Holley are scheduled to return to Pilchuck, in 2026; including also a residency at the Museum of Glass. A visiting artist/workshop engagement has seen completion, at Nashville’s Buchanan Arts, this past June. This engagement, was followed with a trip to Vancouver Island; in fulfillment a research/travel grant from the Jenni Crain Foundation, to document the life’s work, and studio, of artist George Sawchuk (1927-2012). John works to see a book on the uniquely BC artist realized.
In August, John traveled to Dayton, Ohio – where he met with the Kohler Foundation, as regards their 2026 exhibition of the work of Robert Blackstone; his “Crystal City” to be exhibited at their Art Preserve in 2026, in Wisconsin. Drury has just returned from the Pilchuck Glass School in September, where he assisted the Artist-in-Residence, NYC-based sculptor Tom Otterness, in making his first works in glass.
