Practicing artist John Krasner received a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Pratt Institute and earned a second Master of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design from Boston University, where he focused on digital imaging and animation. The integration of media is the hallmark of his multi-disciplinary background, and has allowed synthesis of the disciplines of painting, motion graphics, and music composition. Krasner’s unique teaching perspective strongly emphasizes experimentation and aesthetic sensitivity, along with developing a balance between critical thinking, artistic reasoning, and technical skill.
Krasner spent childhood years in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, and completed his undergraduate education at Muhlenberg College (Allentown, PA) as an art major within a liberal arts program. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1990 from Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY) with a concentration in painting and a minor in art history. In 1994, Krasner earned a second M.F.A. in graphic design from Boston University, with a focus on digital media and motion graphics.
Since 1999, Krasner has helped to coordinate the graphic design concentration at Fitchburg State University and developed coursework in Motion Graphics, Interface Design, and History of Graphic Design. He also teaches Drawing, Water-Based Media, and Early Twentieth Century Art for the Humanities Department. Over the years, he has delivered lectures at Ringling College of Art + Design, University of Notre Dame, Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland), European University (Nicosia, Cyprus), and the Arts in Society conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
As an author, Krasner’s textbooks provide an historical and critical overview of motion design, offering insight into how independent designers and animators formulate ideas, solve problems, and search for artistic expression. They feature the work of students, professionals, and design studios throughout the U.S., Canada, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Croatia, and Iceland. Krasner’s books have been adopted by New York University, University of Massachusetts (Amherst), Pratt Institute, American University, California Institute of the Arts, Ringling College of Art + Design, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Nan Yang Technical University (Singapore), University of Hawaii at Minoa, and Yeditepe University (Istanbul, Turkey).
Krasner lives in Rumford, RI, where he is preparing for upcoming exhibitions and live musical performances at Music Mansion Concert Hall (Providence, RI) and the Jean McDonough Center for The Arts’ Brick Box Theater (Worcester, MA).