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artist bio


John Odum is a visual artist and art educator whose work explores the intersection of structure, transformation, and human intention through relief sculpture. Based in Champaign, Illinois, Odum holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Art Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His studio practice is rooted in a deep respect for materials, particularly wood and paper, which he manipulates through  techniques that blend mathematical precision with organic spontaneity.
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In addition to his studio practice, Odum is a passionate advocate for arts education. He serves as a visual art specialist at Carrie Busey Elementary School and was named the 2021 Illinois Art Education Association’s Elementary Art Educator of the Year. His work has been exhibited throughout Illinois, including the Boneyard Arts Festival, where his piece Fusion was selected as the 2025 signature image.
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artist statement

I find inspiration in working with various media and processes, primarily assemblage sculpture and paper folding. I learned to love origami as a child and later began investigating advanced techniques and non-traditional approaches. My current creative practice has evolved from this foundation. I now explore themes of structure, order, and (un)predictability using patterns, shapes, and forms. My work often examines the tension between order and chaos—how systems are built, disrupted, and ultimately reshaped by human touch.
My process is often driven by the manipulation of the geometric planes found in paper and wood. I find meaning and direction by tapping into and building upon the experience of experimentation with these materials and investigations into their limits and potential. 
Across these mediums, I invite viewers to reflect on impermanence, memory, architectural landscapes, and layered symbolism. Encounters with my artwork are intended to instill a sense of experiencing the unfamiliar, while being comforted by the quiet poetry of repetition.
This 10 minute video is a practice recording on the progression of my artwork. It was for a presentation for the High Noon with the Artist lecture series in 2025. Here I offered a glimpse into how and why I am pursuing my current body of work.
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© 2025 by John Odum

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