Jerry McLaughlin, MD, initially trained as a pediatric critical care physician. He began his artistic career as a fine art photographer, but realizing he had always wanted to be a painter, he abandoned photography and started painting. Although encaustic was his initial medium, once he discovered cold wax and oils, he quickly transitioned and has never gone back. His work has been collected across the US and internationally and has appeared in many publications. He works with HG Contemporary Gallery in New York, DZINE Gallery in San Francisco.

In 2017, Jerry, with co-author Rebecca Crowell, published the internationally award-winning Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations. It is the first ever comprehensive book exploring the myriad techniques and ways artists are using cold wax medium. In 2020, Rebeca and Jerry started COLD WAX ACADEMY, the only online learning portal devoted exclusively to artists interested in cold wax.

Jerry is passionate about teaching, and he holds a certificate in adult education from the University of Washington. His strength lies in identifying and addressing the individual needs of his students and helping them analyze and develop solutions to the difficulties they are encountering. Jerry maintains an active artist mentoring and coaching practice, working with artists around the world

Jerry went for the first time to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in 2018. Three weeks later he and his husband, Mike, bought a home. They left Oakland and now live in San Miguel with their dog, Bert.