John Creech's art signals the turning point of the great American migration west Ð from the rural landscapes of the Ozarks to the nearly forgotten landmarks of Route 66. Mirroring this journey, Creech's early career began in Kansas City, where as a young artist he received a scholarship in fine arts to the prestigious Kansas City Art Institute. In the 1960s, the call of California drew him to Art Center College of Design at its former Los Angeles campus. This "highway of memory" comes to life in Creech's sprawling landscapes, desert panoramas, and the signs of progress that have come and gone. His new series of watercolor scene paintings is entitled "Looking for Mary Elizabeth" and visually depicts his family's historical migration from Arkansas through the West. In 2001 Creech was honored with a solo exhibition at the Art Center of the Ozarks in Springdale, Arkansas and in 2003-2004, one of his paintings toured the United States with the National Arts for the Parks Top 100 exhibition. California museum exhibitions include: the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University, the Pasadena Museum of History, and the Pasadena Museum of California Art.