Author Profile:  John Dessler

John J.  Dessler, artist, musician, performer, filmmaker, teacher, and writer, began performing as a teenager in various bands and community theater productions.  He attended The Art Institute of Pittsburgh for Visual Communication and, upon graduating in 1984, was hired as the newsroom artist for The Beaver County/Allegheny Times.  During his fifteen-year career at the newspaper, he continued to perform and produce shows throughout the Pittsburgh tri-state area.

Dessler has won various awards in The Arts including first place for illustration in the Keystone Press Awards, and has freelanced for companies such as GE, NEC, and Heinz.  In 1996 he founded The Outlet for Creativity in Rochester, PA, which became a privately-funded venue to showcase The Arts.  In 1999 The Outlet became a non-profit 501(c)(3).  John quit his job at the newspaper and began to pursue fostering and supporting The Arts on a full-time basis as President of The Outlet for Creativity, Inc.