We recently had the chance to connect with john wolf and have shared our conversation below.
john, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, joy has been showing up in the most unexpected ways—like imagining what to do with the old church I bought in Dowagiac, Michigan. Some people collect art, I apparently collect buildings with ‘good bones’ and a lot of soul. I’m dreaming up how to turn it into an arts nonprofit—equal parts sacred space and creative playground. Outside of that, it’s been about getting my hands (and sometimes heart) messy in nature, connecting with good people, and remembering that beauty isn’t just something I advise on—it’s something I get to live in. I’ve also found great joy in Porangui’s music is medicine retreats and some grief and praise retreats in the Salish region of the Olympic Peninsula.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I help people collect art that actually punches them in the gut—in a good way. For 15 years I’ve been the guy HNW collectors, family offices, and new collectors call when they want the pieces nobody else can get or don’t know where to start. I’m part fine art advisor, part curator, part transformation concierge, which basically means I curate both the walls you look at and the life you’re living in front of them. Right now I’m sourcing museum-grade works, planning retreats with world-class spiritual teachers, and finding joy in ritual. My work isn’t about buying ‘stuff’—it’s about surrounding yourself with beauty that changes how you see everything.”
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
A mystic, a shaman, a soul dancer . And I’m coming back to that person now.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Success is nice—it makes you feel validated, maybe even admired—but it rarely changes you. Suffering, on the other hand, will pry your fingers off the steering wheel and show you how little control you ever had in the first place. It’s uncomfortable, often humiliating, and, if you’re lucky, weirdly funny in hindsight. While success tells you you’re doing fine, suffering hands you the syllabus for a class you didn’t sign up for, on topics like compassion, humility, and how to keep going when your plans implode. It’s the kind of education you can’t get when everything’s going your way, and though I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, I have to admit—it’s where the real learning lives.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to building a temple of ancient wisdom—a living space where art, ritual, and spiritual teaching intersect. It’s not about recreating the past, but about translating timeless truths into experiences people can feel in their bodies and carry into their lives. Imagine a place where beauty isn’t decoration, it’s initiation; where you can stand in front of a masterpiece, hear the echo of an ancient chant, and feel something inside you remember. This temple will be both sanctuary and school—part museum, part monastery, part creative playground—built to keep the deepest human knowledge alive for our time. Basically, it’s a place designed to blow your mind without you having to drink questionable tea in the jungle.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes. My home was published on the cover of Galerie Magazine, and I remember that after the celebration party at Art Basel Miami, I felt oddly empty. Glamour and material success don’t bring fulfillment. They’re just flashes—beautiful but fleeting. As Jack Kornfield reminds us, ‘…peace comes not from fulfilling our wants but from the moment that dissatisfaction ends.’  True meaning isn’t about optical perfection—it’s something quieter and harder to photograph. It’s about presence, alignment, and tending to what truly sustains the soul.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.johnwolf.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnywolf/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wolf-87207485/
