Appleton Museum of Art to present ‘The Human Pulse,’ a photographic series by John Elliott

On view in the Appleton’s Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists from June 21, 2025-January 18, 2026, “The Human Pulse: Photographs by John Elliott” features 42 black-and-white prints from the Ocala-based photographer’s ongoing series, “The Human Pulse.”

Elliott’s “The Human Pulse” project is shaped by his life and travels across 32 countries, capturing the remarkable array of the human experience. His photographs reflect a dreamlike vantage point: floating somewhat above, sometimes even at a great distance, but still connected to the moment.

As an influence, Elliott cites the renowned “The Family of Man” exhibition, organized by photographer Edward Steichen for the Museum of Modern Art New York in 1955. Elliott discovered the exhibition catalog in his father’s library and said, “Only decades later did I recollect perusing it with interest as a child, and the memories of many images remained vivid. Recently musing upon the genesis of one of my series, ‘The Human Pulse,’ I began to realize how influential this book was on my photographic vision. I strive to paint a multi-faceted spectrum of global humanity — joy to suffering, spontaneity to reflection.”

Gallery Tour

Saturday, October 4, 11 a.m.

Join Elliott on the October 4 Free First Saturday for a tour of his solo exhibition, “The Human Pulse.” Tour meets at 11 a.m. in the Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists on the second floor. Free as part of Free First Saturday; no reservation needed to attend.

About the Artist:

John Elliott was born in Spring Valley, New York, and for his first dozen years lived in Manhattan, after which he moved with his family to Coral Gables, Florida, where he fell in love with photography. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and double minors in Spanish and international studies from Ohio University. After a successful career in media production, in early 2011 he was selected to be an officer in the U.S. Foreign Service and, after five months of training, received a congressional appointment to be a vice consul in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From 2014-2016, he served as press attaché in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before returning to Washington, D.C., to work for the State Department in five senior diplomatic assignments through 2021. Elliott and his family currently reside in Ocala. He is a founder of the Ocala Photography Group and has exhibited his work in solo and group shows since 1973.

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.

Featured image: John Elliott, “Bliss Ride (Giza, Egypt),” 2015, Archival giclée pigment print, Courtesy of the artist.