Windermere resident creates art inspired by African wildlife

When Jon Deuschle was 23, he wanted to get a birthday gift for his father, a missionary in Zimbabwe. Deuschle didn’t have a lot of money to spend, so he created a painting. 

He didn’t have a lot of experience painting but discovered a talent.

“I surprised myself,” he said. “I hadn’t painted in years. … (My dad) put it in his office, and people wanted to buy it.”

Deuschle, currently a Windermere resident, is a man of many talents. After growing up in Zimbabwe, he moved in 2010 to the United States to pursue a career in music in Los Angeles. After music school, he spent some time training to compete in track-and-field events. But after he painted for his father’s birthday, he set visual art aside for a while. He didn’t paint again until about a year ago, when his girlfriend and bandmate Haley Hunt told someone about his talent. 

“She told someone I could paint as well and threw me under the bus,” he said, laughing. “They said, ‘Paint me something.’ And I did, and they loved it. So I sort of carried on painting from there.”

Of all Deuschle’s passions, his painting has garnered him the most attention. His work is featured in the Steltenkamp Fine Art gallery in Winter Park, as well as Melvin’s Garden in Windermere. Locally, he attends art shows and works on commissions. Laguna Art Group in Laguna Beach, California, represents his art work. 

Africa is Deuschle’s muse when he is painting, and Deuschle considers the genre he paints in as “African romance.” 

“Paris is romantic, Rome is romantic, but nothing is more romantic than Africa,” Deuschle said. “Nothing. The way giraffes move is like ballet. There’s an ineffable wild that gets in your lungs. It’s hearing the fish eagles and smelling the African wild. It’s waking up to an African sunrise.” 

Deuschle lived in Harare, a city in Zimbabwe, but he didn’t have to travel far to see the wildlife.

He finds that people far from Africa, in places such as Windermere, connect to African wildlife. There’s a special interest in animals such as giraffes, elephants and especially lions. 

A PASSIONATE PERSON

Deuschle finds passion is what he does and allows the creative process to strike at any moment. He has been known for doing everything from throwing air javelins in a supermarket aisle to creating voice notes with his ideas in the car. 

Since his music-school days, he has worked less with the craft, but currently is picking it back up again. He is collaborating with Hunt on a project that he plans to release soon. He likes to write music across all genres, but he considers his style to be pop and soft rock with an R&B and African vibe.

Music has been a key part of Deuschle’s life, starting with the days his mother led music at their church, Celebration Ministries International, when she taught him how to sing, write music and play the saxophone. 

Ultimately, his passion for his faith in God supersedes any hope for his success in the art world. 

“I just want to tell as many people about Jesus as possible,” he said. “I just love people, and I want to help people no matter what.”

He hopes to someday move back to Zimbabwe to continue to help with the conservation of animals, as well as with children who are in orphanages there. 

Contact Jennifer Nesslar at [email protected]. 

KEEP UP WITH JON

The best way to keep up with Jon Deuschle’s work is to follow him on Instagram @jondeuschle. There, you can see his artwork and be notified of his music as it is released. 

To contact Deuschle, visit his website at jondeuschle.com.