John Erhart Kashdan was born in London on 12 February 1917. His father was a Russian refugee, his mother was English and he grew up in straitened circumstances. Kashdan decided at the age of 12 that he wanted to be an artist, and leaving school at 14, attended Charles Genge’s art classes at the Working Men’s Institute in Bethnal Green. One of his lecturers, who was on the staff of the Royal Academy, suggested that Kashdan take a portfolio of work to the Schools there, and he was accepted. Tom Monnington was an important influence. Kashdan won a string of prizes, including a Gold Medal in his first year and the British Institute and Landseer Scholarships. Prizes were important to Kasshdan, as they were his only source of income and made it possible for him to work in France until war broke out. He rejected a grant to the RCA, fearing its regimentation and at the RA Schools, was allowed to pursue his own course. In 1939 he married Sheila Browne (three sons, one daughter; marriage dissolved 1969). By 1943, Kashdan was living in Cambridge, where his intellectual horizons expanded as he mixed with such figures as Arthur Koestler, the publisher John Lehmann, the German-born artist Richard Ziegler and the novelist Wolf Mankowitz. He also visited Henry Moore at nearby Much Hadham. His work illustrated Cambridge literary periodicals including Focus One, which the writers Andrew Pearse and Balachandra Rajan co-edited for the publisher Dennis Dobson. Kashdan was much influenced by the German Expressionist printmakers, but also encountered the work of the Mexican popular artist Pousada, after finding a monograph of his prints in a Cambridge bookshop. In 1945 Kashdan was given a solo show at the Redfern Gallery in London, through an introduction by the patron Gustav Kahnweiler. By that means, Kashdan met the Polish-born painter and printmaker Jankel Adler, who in turn introduced him to John Minton, Robert McBryde and Robert Colquhoun. Adler admired Kashdan’s monotypes (unique impressions on paper); they also inspired a long series in the medium by Colquhoun. In 1945 the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth established an art department, and somewhat ironically, they chose Kashdan to head it, despite him being a registered conscientious objector. When Kashdan went to Exeter for the medical to ensure that he was not eligible for military service, he waved his exempting card. The doctor went through the motions of an inspection. Did Kashdan, for example, have difficulty in walking? Kashdan would have none of it; no, he loved walking and did a lot of it. By sleight of hand he was classified flat-footed, unfit for service, faces were saved and he got the job. Adler believed that the appointment would take him away from the artistic mainstream. However, Kashdan believed that teaching at Dartmouth, rather than at one of the art schools, would enable him to work undisturbed and teach more in his own way. This proved to be so. Kashdan made a breakthrough in America when his monotypes were given a solo invitation exhibition in 1946 at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. In 1947, the Art Institute of Chicago held one of monotypes and drawings and in 1948, there was a monotype show at the Philadelphia Art Alliance. For a few years, he continued to participate in mixed shows in London and Cambridge, but after 1950, ceased exhibiting altogether. In 1951, he moved to teach art at Guildford School of Arts and Crafts, then under the direction of the painter Dudley Holland. In 1953, Kashdan was made head of design and fine art, later on head of general studies and art history, establishing a reputation as a dedicated, creative teacher. Holland was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1956. In 1968 there was a student sit-in at Guildford. Kashdan supported the students, alongside other staff members. Over 40 staff were sacked including Kashdan, who featured prominently in a TV programme made by Magnus Magnusson about events there. Staff were later reinstated, but Kashdan was demoted and moved to Epsom College of Art as tutor librarian. He retired in 1982, settling at Loughborough, Leicestershire. In 1989  the dealer Jane England mounted a show of Kashdan’s monotypes and paintings 1940-55 at England & Co in London. In consequence, the British Museum bought nine works, England & Co held a second Kashdan solo exhibition, of monotypes 1941-91, in 1991. John Kashdan died on 22 February 2001.