The John Austin Collection
John Austin painted boats, lighthouses, houses, and old island vehicles around Nantucket and the East Coast. He captured familair things with an eye for detail and character. Ultimately he made Nantucket his home in 1973.
His work became part of our family’s home, too.
Margret’s grandfather commissioned Austin to paint pieces for her parents, including their Jeep and boat as they would enjoy heading around island. Those paintings hung in the halls of her parents’ home here on island. For us, they hold memories as much as they hold a scene. Nostalgic, classic, and natural beauty.
Over the years, we’ve built on this family connection and admiration for John Austin's work, acquiring paintings at auction and directly from his family.
We love his use of color. Muted, yet colorful. The grays, the rugged whites, and the old wood he used to build his own frames. It's all very old school Nantucket that cannot be re-created. His compositions feel graphic and balanced with a soft sensibility. He captured the natural beauty of old things without losing their age or authentic character.
Austin worked largely in egg tempera, using sketches and observations to develop his paintings in the studio. His commissions included places and things that people wanted to remember. Some were iconic landmarks, some were businesses or homes, and all were painted in his unique style.
I never met John Austin, but his work has inspired the way I photograph landscapes and objects for many years now. I’m drawn to that same sense of symmetry, texture and quiet detail. Austin grew up in New Jersey, where I’m originally from, which gives me another connection to his story.
Some of these paintings will forever remain in our private collection. Others are available to purchase through MAWKO Supply Co. if you are interested. All of them are shown here because we love looking at them and thought you might enjoy seeing them as well.
John Austin captured an authentic beauty about Nantucket Island in a unique style that we will forever admire.
