BORN in Charleston in 1963, John Albrecht grew up on Isle of Palms. Although art was a passion, he pursued an engineering career and graduated from The Citadel in 1985. He worked in the environmental engineering field for the U.S. Navy and in the private sector doing environmental cleanup work, and he ran his own firm in Charleston for 18 years.

Albrecht’s wife gifted him art classes through Tidwell Art Gallery downtown for Christmas in 2001, and his interest in painting grew all over again. Outside of work, he took weekly art classes and workshops and developed his own style over that time. Ten years ago, he left the engineering business to begin painting on a regular basis. He has studied with local award-winning artists and attended workshops to gather ideas and hone his speed and style.

Albrecht has collaborated with artists in the Charleston Artist Guild and exhibited in galleries in Charleston, including Lowcountry Artists Gallery and the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery. Since 2019 he has been juried and participated in the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition, and he has participated in the Saluda Arts Festival, a juried art show. He currently shows his work at his studio in Mount Pleasant by appointment.