Artist Bio  

Jonathon McKay was born in 1998 in Denver, Colorado, and currently lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. He earned his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2020. The following year, the Chicago History Museum commissioned him to create a large-scale painting for City on Fire: Chicago 1871. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries, including Agitator Co-operative Gallery (Figurative Painting Show, 2023), Bridgeport Art Center (12th Annual Art Competition, 2024), and VibrantCast Art Gallery (Kaleidoscope, 2024). He was also awarded a travel grant to study the Old Masters in Florence and Siena at the Siena Art Institute and received a gold medal from the Denver Art Museum and the Colorado Watercolor Society, with his work displayed at the Colorado History Museum. Most recently, in 2025, McKay was awarded a teaching residency with the Academy of Urban School Leadership, further expanding his engagement with the arts through education.