Profile

Younger Days

Growing up in Lewes and Brighton, John was a serious amateur painter, although for his studies he chose music - notably composition and classical organ. He moved to Chichester in 1964 to continue these studies, where he met his wife, Sandi. In 1967 he abandoned classical studies in favour of contemporary jazz, whist pursuing a career in Landscape Architecture. Painting continued sporadically and experimentally.

Early Years In Devon

A compulsive move to South Devon in 1975 gave John the opportunity to pursue his true vocation and he began to paint full-time. Supported by his wife and their daughter, Anna, he spent the next five years honing his technique in oil and watercolour painting. The Westcountry provided his major subject matter, complemented in the early eighties by a growing interest in London’s street and river scenes. This led to the most significant development in his career.

Piccadilly And The France And Italy Years

Accepting the challenge of rendering complex urban scenes in paint, it was time to attempt to find a way into the competitive London market. After a brief spell with Harrods, John was taken on by Omell Galleries in Piccadilly. This was the start of a happy and productive 25 year relationship, with eleven one man shows and participation in many group exhibitions as far afield as Melbourne, Bermuda and California. During these years he also exhibited in Dartmouth, Lymington, Harrogate, Annapolis and Aix-en-Provence. After a painting trip to Tuscany in 1986, Northern Italy and the South of France became the main themes in these exhibitions.

Nowadays

2008’s banking crisis together with an unwillingness to travel so extensively caused John to re-evaluate his creative progress. He has returned to the landscapes that surround him in Devon although Italy and France are still major preoccupations.

Techniques

Although principally a modern impressionist, and mainly in oil, his output also consists of watercolour studies, highly realist figurative work in oil and abstract paintings in oil and mixed media.