John Louis Hoft, exceptional artist
GRASS VALLEY, Calif. — John Louis Hoft passed away peacefully Dec. 6, 2024, at home. He was 77.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, he was the son of Marie Milad Hoft Stansell and John Louis Hoft Sr.
John migrated to Connecticut with his wife, Deborah Blair Hoft and their young son, J. London Hoft, in 1970. His formative years were spent at Layton School of Art, Milwaukee, Pulpit Rock Community, Woodstock and Hokus Pokus Art Center, Pomfret Center. He was part of an emerging art scene that coalesced under patronage from Margaret Tourtellotte and a small grant from The Rockefeller Foundation. It was an exciting time of artistic experimentation and development that included forging lifelong friendships.
John’s relentless creative curiosity, daring and talent drove him to develop original content that was widely admired. He generated hundreds of pieces and projects.
His scope was vast and he brought his unique perspective to everything he created including painting, sculpture, public murals, construction of houses, shacks, outhouses, even a soap box derby car! Asked recently about the output of his prolific body of work he said, “It’s just what came out of my hands”.
Living in California for almost 40 years, John established himself as a painter in the San Francisco Bay Area.
He frequently showed in galleries there and in Chicago for 20 years.
John married Sharon Shafran while living in the Bay Area and they moved to Grass Valley in the early 2000s. There they built a community of friends and furry loved ones. John always had a quiet magnetism. He was a keen observer and a gifted storyteller. He loved to share a laugh, a glass of wine, and a smoke. In his later years in Grass Valley, John took on restoration work for antique collectors in the region.
John’s artwork is treasured in private collections across the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.
He was beloved by Deborah, Sharon, lifelong and newer friends, his daughter-in-law Mary, grandson Oliver and son London. He also leaves a sister Sue Maras of Prescott, Ariz.; cousins in Milwaukee and Park City, Utah; nieces and nephews in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. He was predeceased by a niece, Kristine Maras.
Family and friends gathered July 19 in celebration of John Hoft Life/Art at Silver Circle Gallery, Block 134, 134 Main St., Putnam. Visit between 1 and 5 p.m. July 31; 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 1; and 12 to 4 p.m. Aug. 2 and 3.
.