Man becomes artist thanks to dot-com bust

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A San Francisco artist whose career was launched thanks to the dot-com bust is on the verge of major stardom. Representatives from galleries around the world will see his works next month at a special exhibit in Miami, but his paintings right can be seen now at a popular San Francisco gallery and club.

The images are startling and complex. John Waguespack's work is challenging, his creativity dynamic. "I become so focused that I can paint 18 hours in a row and not stop to eat or drink," he says. Waguespack is showing his newest pieces at 111 Minna Gallery, the art salon that is almost 20 years old.

It's a perfect fit for someone who was in advertising in the dot-com days but found his passion in painting. "Every time I thought I was going to have to go back to work, I sold another piece and here I am six years later," he says.

Now, he'll show his work at Art Basel in Miami next month, the biggest art show in the world. "More people will see my work in a short amount of time, four or five days, than have probably ever seen it in my life," he says. It could lead to a one-man show in New York and then he could be on the verge of something big. "I just want to be able to keep doing it, challenging myself," he says.

Waguespack's exhibition at 111 Minna Gallery is up through January.

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