John Walley

John Walley taught painting, drawing, and sculpture at the 1949 Summer Art Institute.

John Walley (1910-1974) was an artist, designer and faculty member at the Institute of Design and UIC. John met his wife, artist Jane "Jano" Walley in art school in Chicago; the couple spent much of their careers working together. In 1937, Walley was sent to Alaska by the Federal Art Project to document life and industry in the territory, accompanied by Jano. He later served as State Director of the Federal Art-Craft Project in Illinois. Following service in the Army during World War II, John joined the faculty at the Institute of Design in 1945, which became affiliated with the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1949. In 1952, he moved to University of Illinois at Chicago, then located at Navy Pier. Walley argued effective teachers needed to be practitioners, and remained active in the art and design world throughout his career. John and Jano Walley also received media attention for architectural transformations of their living spaces, including a remodeled building in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. A more complete biography, written by John Walley, is included in the John Walley papers.

Biography shared by the Chicago History Museum.

Relationships

Wife, and fellow guest faculty, Jano Walley

Collections of visual materials for Jano and John can be found in many institutions in Chicago, including the Chicago History Museum.