An artist, television show host and widely recognized online celebrity, California-based American painter John Kilduff is known for his distinctive style, which can be described as a merge of Impressionism and Pop art. His paintings offer a lighthearted and relatable look at contemporary life, and feature everything from beach hats and sneakers to soup cans and beer bottles.
In 1987, Kilduff earned his BFA from the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. He also studied comedy at The Groundlings Theatre & School and the Los Angeles City College, in addition to getting his MFA from UCLA in 2008.
Kilduff came into the spotlight in 2001 when he began hosting a cable-access television show called Let's Paint TV, calling himself "Mr. Let's Paint." The show's live episodes typically involve Kilduff painting while he performs other activities, like playing ping pong, running on a treadmill or cooking. In 2006, he began uploading clips of the show to YouTube, which garnered worldwide attention. The series is now broadcast online.
Kilduff has made numerous other television appearances over the years, including the Tyra Banks Show, where he painted Banks’s portrait live. In 2006, he painted David Hasselhoff on the red carpet of the VH1 Big Awards and also appeared on season two of America's Got Talent.
Ever the entertainer, Kilduff frequently holds in-person painting shows. In 2016, a show called "Bakery" at the Daniel Rolnik Gallery in Santa Monica was designed to mimic the look of a small pastry shop and, as Kilduff created paintings of a range of sweet treats for the event, it earned comparisons to the works of sculptor Claes Oldenburg and Wayne Thiebaud.
Kilduff lives and works in Los Angeles.
On 1stDibs, find original John Kilduff oil paintings, watercolor works and more.
Surfing Mendocino Bay, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air oil painting of Mendocino Bay. Painted during the Mendocino plein air festival. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an of...
Oil
Matador Beach, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air oil painting of Matador Beach in Malibu, California. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenti...
Oil
Rush hour on the westside, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Rush hour on the westside of Los Angeles. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Yes :: ...
Oil
Portrait of osculating fan while on treadmill, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Still life portrait of an osculating fan while running on a treadmill. Streamed live on my Youtube channel: letspainttv :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an off...
Oil
Palm Perspective number 2, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
I always liked seeing the palm trees going into the horizon and thought it would be interesting to capture that feeling on a triangle shaped canvas. :: Painting :: Pop-Art :: This pi...
Oil
Fig tree in quarantine, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air oil painting (with some spray paint) of the Fig tree in the backyard during quarantine. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an off...
Oil
Olive tree in the backyard, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air acrylic painting of the olive tree in the backyard. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Re...
Acrylic
Under the Olive tree number 2, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting of the olive tree in the backyard. Spray paint, acrylic and oil on canvas. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity sign...
Oil
Hollyhock, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
I have been experimenting the last few years using spray paint, acrylic and oils on the canvas. I painted this en plein air in my backyard. :: Painting :: Contemporary :: This piec...
Oil
Still life of a jar of pickles #2, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
I painted this jar of pickles live during my livestreaming show Let's Paint TV. Spray paint, acrylic and oils on Canvas :: Painting :: Pop-Art :: This piece comes with an official ce...
Oil
Still life of a jar of pickles #3, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
I painted this jar of pickles live during my livestreaming show Let's Paint TV :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by...
Oil
Tulips in a vase, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painted these tulips that where in the dining room. I used spray paint, acrylic and oils on the painting. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificat...
Oil
Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painted in my studio based off of a plein air oil painting I did of this location ( Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, California). Spray paint, Acrylic and Oils on Canvas. :: Painting ::...
Oil
Hollyhock Plein Air #2, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air painting of a hollyhock flower in my backyard. I did another painting of the same hollyhock (Hollyhock #1) at the same time and made a video of the process. Here's the vide...
Oil
Goya's 3rd of May on a can of beans, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting of a famous Goya painting on a can of Goya beans. Oil and spray paint on can. :: Painting :: Pop-Art :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signe...
Oil
Goya's Colossus on a can of beans, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting of a famous Goya painting on a can of Goya beans. Oil and spray paint on can. :: Painting :: Pop-Art :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signe...
Oil
Spring Street, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location (plein air) on Spring Street in Downtown Los Angeles. THe building is just south of 7th Street on Spring St. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: T...
Oil
Engine No.3025, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location (plein air) at Travel Town in Griffith Park,Los Angeles, California. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece com...
Oil
3rd and Traction, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location (plein air) from a building in the Los Angeles Arts District, overlooking 3rd and Traction Streets. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece ...
Oil
5th and Grand, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location (plein air) in Downtown Los Angeles on the corner of 5th and Grand. It is full of rich, thick, bold, colorful brushstrokes. :: Painting :: Conte...
Oil
6th and Broadway, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
I painted this during the Los Angeles Plein Air Festival 2016. I won 1st place in Oils. Painted on location ( Plein air) on the corner of 6th and Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. ...
Oil
Mulholland Drive #2, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted entirely on location (en plein air) on Mulholland Drive in Malibu, California. The painting is full of bold brushstrokes! Si...
Oil
Farmers and Merchants Bank, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air painting of the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Downtown Los Angeles. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by ...
Oil
Cheesebro Oak, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air painting (painted on location) of an oak tree at Cheesebro Park in Agoura Hills, California. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate o...
Oil
8th & Broadway, Los Angeles, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location at the corner of 8th & Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles, California. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certific...
Oil
NYC Subway #3, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
I did a number of sketches while riding the subways in New York this summer (2016). This painting is based on one of these sketches. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece come...
Oil
8th and Broadway, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painted on location (plein air) on the corner of 8th and Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece co...
Oil
Orphium Theater, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location (p[lein air) in front of the Orphium theater in Downtown Los Angeles. :: Painting :: Impressionist...
Oil
On Broadway, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location (plein air) on Broadway Street in Downtown los Angeles. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece...
Oil
Sari's Cactus Garden, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air (painted on location) painting of Sari's cactus garden. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authen...
Oil
Zuma Beach #2, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air oil painting of beachgoers on Zuma Beach in Malibu, California. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the ...
Oil
17 mile drive, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Large painting of the beautiful coast near Carmel, California. Spray Paint and Acrylic on Canvas. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of aut...
Acrylic
17 mile drive #2, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Large painting of the beautiful coast near Carmel, California. Spray paint, Acrylic and Oil on Canvas. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate o...
Acrylic
4th of July Sale, Painting, Oil on Other
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting was painted on location (plein air) in front of a car dealership on Van Nuys Blvd in Los Angeles, California. :: Painting :: Americana :: This ...
Oil
Jet Stream Liquors, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air (painted on location) oil painting of Jet Stream Liquors in North Hollywood, which is about a mile away from the Burbank Airport. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piec...
Oil
Backyard still life, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air oil painting of a found still life in my backyard. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Rea...
Oil
San Fransisco Cable Car, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painted this in the studio, based on a photo I took of a Cable Car in San Francisco. This is part of a new series of paintings where I spray paint the outline and than use watered-do...
Acrylic