About John Thomas Grant

I’m a photographer. I capture Life; I capture Death. My work is simple and clean, not overly produced in the ways of some. A prototypical photographer, I shoot what I see with my mind's eye, and that’s that. I try not to overthink it. It either works for me, or it doesn’t. My primary creative stomping ground is the cemetery. Don’t be shocked, we all have our thing and that’s mine. That said, I keep an open mind; it’s not all doom and gloom. I have been known to crack a joke from time to time and even smile. And, if you will permit me, cemeteries are pretty beautiful places. Anyway, it started a few decades ago while collecting information for my family tree. With a camera in hand, it was off to the cemetery to photograph the old folks I couldn’t readily call for information. What awaited me was the creative swell that that one gnawing hollowness inside me needed. And after some 30+ years in the head-banging world of the music business as a recording engineer and manager here in the U.S. and Europe, it was a most welcome relief. I have one published coffee-table, hardcover book of my work, released in 2011 by Schiffer Publishing. It’s titled - “Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone.” Here’s a snippet from the forward, “The only sacred trust is our mortality. In the end, it has taken the greater part of this man’s lifetime to come to understand that essence of being. The moments do not slip so quietly away without notice now.” To sum up, “I want my work to reach into the soul of the believer, the mind of the doubter, into the hearts of all.” Currently, I’m working on more books covering my photography since 2011. I’m writing two children’s books and one young adult historical fiction. I do group and solo exhibitions. I’ve won local and national awards for a community access TV show I created, produced, directed, and edited for 1623 Studios - then Cape Ann TV - titled, “All Things Victorian feat. Victoriana Lady Lisa. Aside from the above, I’m usually cooking up a chocolate bark confection when I’m not with a camera in hand. I manufacture a local product called Swanky Chocolates for supermarkets, farm stands, country stores, and other local shops from Cape Cod up through New Hampshire.