DJ Freezy J

Growing up in Hawaii, John found his escape in art and a pair of roller skates. As a kid, he never had any formal training in the arts, but boy did he soak up every museum, magazine, and gallery he could.

John wanted to bring joy to people from something e created, but he needed to be a well-rounded Renaissance type of guy who could do it all and get the ladies.

In his teenage years, John was always drawing—capturing the people around him, the wild landscapes of Hawaii, or just whatever crazy ideas popped into his head.

He started carrying around t-shirts that he would draw on with markers and sell on the spot. His first design was a guy with a mohawk.

John started taking art classes and learning more about painting and art history. He loved Japanese art and those artists' discipline in making such intricate details.

John finished his last year of high school at the Douglas School of Art in Jacksonville, Florida. After a while, he had to get out of there and all its gangster ways, so he went back to Hawaii. He wanted to make the best art anyone has ever seen.

John met Elli, and they flew away to Georgia for college at Savannah College of Art and Design to pursue their dreams of becoming professional artists. Life was tough—living in sketchy apartments and working dangerous jobs—but art kept them going. They never lost sight of their dream. After graduating, John worked in a top-secret art factory.

John and Elli knew life was changing when they found out they would have their first baby. They moved to Arizona and began creating art in their garage. It gave them the space to experiment and sell their work, and Greece became their summer escape for inspiration.

Together, they collaborated and painted over 10,000 pieces, created a family full of artists, and built a life centered around art.

The Milans started their art career in 1996, and both sold work full-time as professional artists until 2010. Along the way, they met other artists who wanted to make a living from their art, and that’s how Milan Art Institute came about.

Since then, the Milan Art Institute has helped thousands of artists worldwide turn their passion for art into a successful profession.

John had a dream where he was in the middle of a huge crowd with loud music playing, when he suddenly heard a loud voice shouting, “Hey, DJ Freezy J!” and he knew it was the Lord.

John accepted this new identity and took on DJ Freezy J as his artist name, using it to sign paintings—and also to surprise people at restaurants when they announce that DJ Freezy J’s table is ready.

John has always been a maximalist. He doesn't like throwing things away. He wants to build giant warehouses and just acquire stuff. "Just pile up the stuff and build things, because going to the store can be such a drag. It makes sense to be a maximalist. Because if you're a minimalist, you're always hungry," says John.

John Milan embodies the "More is More" philosophy, standing as the antithesis of minimalism. This approach reflects his belief in seeing beauty in everything and celebrating all details.