He was always interested in art at school.

In 1994 while working as an architect in the Kibungo Province, Rwanda was thrown into turmoil. His family was killed in the genocide but he was rescued by Tutsi rebels. Shortly after his best friend disappeared, and knowing he would be interrogated as to the whereabouts of his friend, he made an instant decision to escape his country. Thus his long walk began.

He arrived in South Africa in January 2001. The journey from Rwanda took him six months and in that time he passed through five countries, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique (where he spent a month in prison for a crime that was never identified). He eventually landed in South Africa at Malalane near the Mozambican border. He had a map and wondered how long it would take him to walk to Johannesburg.

Fortune finally favoured him on his trip when at last when he took a piece job working for Judith Mason near White River. One day she turned to him saying: “John, you are an educated man; it is very difficult for you to do this work”. She told him to draw for an hour and express his feelings. He remembers that he drew a dove in a tree and people swimming in a lake. At the end of the session Judith Mason said ‘John you have no peace’. She gave him paper and art materials and regularly critted his work for eight months. She contacted Cara Walters at the Artist’s Proof Studios and organized a place for him to work. She advised him to express his feelings so that people could understand his story and feel his courage in overcoming adversity.

John is completely committed to his art and The Artist’s Proof Studio forms John Taoss’ body of friends.