Self taught for the most part, John took a number of workshops when he first started painting in watercolor. Now he works mostly in oil. At first he attended outdoor art shows, displaying his pen-and-ink renderings and watercolor paintings. For a short time he was a sketch artist, drawing quick portraits at various shows. To promote the pen-and-ink illustrated a book and wrote and outdoor column. At one point, he even co-owned an art gallery.

John's paintings are distinguished by their varied brush strokes and rich color. They appeal to those who enjoy the tradition of open-air painting. To John, the essence of the painting begins on the scene. "I will use either oil, watercolor, gouache, or pencil, as long as I record what excited me about the scene," he says. "I like to focus on surprises, the unexpected, and object of beauty that has been overlooked. Sometimes it's commonplace, sometimes the unusual." John paints what excites him. When a scene inspires him, his painting is more likely to communicate that excitement to the viewer.

John Holub travels to a number of different places throughout the year to paint on location. While traveling, he also gathers information to be developed further at this studio in Winthrop, Maine, an area of lakes, streams, and a rolling farmland in the central part of the state. Painting locations vary. Recently, John has painted in the Caribbean, followed by a sojourn in Tuscany, a paint-out in Wisconsin, and a stay on Monhegan Island off the Maine coast. Future trips include a return to the British Virgin Islands and another trip to Italy to paint in Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Russia are strong possibilities for the distant future.