The following is from Peter Kostoulakos, AOA, NEAA: Fine Art Consultant, www.pkart.com=

John Austin Sands Monks was born on November 7, 1850 in Cold Spring, New York and died in Chicago, Illinois in March of 1917. Monks is listed as a painter and etcher of landscapes and animals, with sheep considered to be a specialty. He studied etching with George Nelson Cass (1831-1882) and painting with George Inness (1825-1894).

Monks was a member of the Boston Art Club, Copley Society (Boston)1892, and the New York Etching Club. From 1804 to 1909, Monks exhibited over seventy oils, watercolors, and etchings with the Boston Art Club.

Monks also exhibited with the American Watercolor Society (NYC), Salmagundi Club (NYC) 1883, and the New York Etching Club, 1880s. Two museum collections holding Monks work are the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Parrish Museum. "Sheep," his best-known painting is in the MFA, Boston.

While exhibiting with the Boston Art Club, Monks is listed as living in New York in 1884 and 1885 and in Massachusetts from 1886 to 1907

Biography taken from AskArt.com