John Register was an American realist painter best known for his depictions of sunlit streets, empty coffee shops, hotel rooms, and desolate towns around Southern California. Critics have noted that his style is reminiscent of Edward Hopper. However, Register feels that there are differences between himself and Hopper, “With Hopper you witness someone else’s isolation; in my pictures, I think you, the viewer, become the isolated one.” Born in 1939 in New York, NY, Register went on to study commercial art at the Pasadena Art Center and design and television at Pratt Institute in New York (notably founded by his great-grandfather). He worked as an advertisement artist until he abruptly decided to quit his job and dedicate himself to painting on his 33rd birthday.