BIOGRAPHY: J.J. OHLINGER

JJ Ohlinger was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1970. JJ became interested in art at an early age, had a painting featured in the Omaha newspaper when he was just seven years old, and began painting with oils by the time he was twelve.

After being offered several art scholarships his family persuaded him to seriously consider art as a career. He went on to receive a BFA in Scientific Illustration from the University of Georgia.

During college JJ worked as an intern at the Center for American Archeology in Kampsville, Illinois. There he used his illustration skills to visually document archeological findings including the skeletal remains of Midland Woman and the first domesticated dog in North America.

After college, JJ moved to San Francisco where he worked as a designer and illustrator for the legendary Grateful Dead. While in San Francisco, JJ also worked on projects with Nobel Laureate Dr. Paul Boyer.

JJ’s work is included in several public collections around the country such as the Smithsonian in Washington DC, the Field Museum in Chicago, and the Georgia Natural History Museum. It also hangs on the backs of Deadheads around the world, was featured on the cover of Skirt! Magazine and in private collections in Los Angeles, London, Omaha, New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Charleston, including a painting in Elton John’s personal collection.

JJ currently resides in Charleston, SC with his two dogs, Maggie and Norman.